Pop Culture Hour Featuring: Epstein Files, No-Contact With Family & Ballerina Farm's 9th Baby with Rachel, Zara and Sam

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Sam, Rachel, and Zara are back for an unfiltered Mom-Talk! This week: Sam drops a jaw-dropping story about a friend who discovered herself in the Epstein files. Rachel opens up about going no contact with her mom, her bipolar and autism diagnosis, and her alcohol-free journey. Zara sparks a conversation about maternal ambivalence after a Love Is Blind contestant goes viral. Plus: the BYU wage gap, Ballerina Farm's 9th pregnancy, the cartel crisis in Puerto Vallarta, influencer brand deal transparency, and why raising emotionally intelligent boys is harder than anyone warned us.

Episode Summary: The episode kicks off with Sam sharing a stunning Super Bowl Sunday story — a mom friend revealed she was referenced in the newly released Epstein files by a former boss. This launches a broader conversation about the files and what's (not) being covered in mainstream media.

Rachel then opens up about her complicated journey to going no-contact with her mother, rooted in a violent incident involving her brother that her parents failed to adequately address. She shares how a therapist guided her through writing an unsent letter, eventually reconnecting briefly with her mom — and why the relationship remains strained. She also discusses being diagnosed as bipolar and autistic as an adult, and how those missed diagnoses shaped her childhood and family dynamics.

The hosts dive into sobriety — Rachel is over two years alcohol-free, Sam has been sober from alcohol for 13 years, and Zara has never really drunk. They discuss generational drinking norms, anxiety, and how knowing yourself is the key to staying the course.

A Love Is Blind storyline about maternal ambivalence sparks a rich discussion about whether moms "regret" having kids — and how that conversation echoes the Chappell Roan controversy. The hosts get honest about delayed bonding, postpartum struggles, and how quitting corporate jobs changed everything.

They tackle Ballerina Farm's 9th pregnancy, the BYU gender wage gap ($800/year average for female graduates), gender roles in parenting, and raising emotionally intelligent boys. Rachel shares a hilarious anecdote about her son thinking cursive is "Spanish writing," and Sam reflects on only-child guilt.

The episode wraps with influencer business talk — Rachel breaks down brand deal rates with rare transparency, and the hosts discuss the Puerto Vallarta cartel crisis, the viral "folliculaire" moment, and algorithm rabbit holes.

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Website: https://www.doyouwantthetruthpod.com

Connect with Sam:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/samanthastrom

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@samanthastorms

Connect with Zara:

Zara Hanawalt https://www.linkedin.com/in/zara-hanawalt/

TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@zarahanawalt

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/zarahanawalt/