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What happens when a homeschooled comedy YouTuber and a former fundamentalist Mormon boy (also homeschooled) compare childhoods?Chaos. Laughter. Trauma bonding--and a surprising amount of sneaking out through windows.In this episode, Rae (@RaesWAYOverdoingIt) opens up about her intensely controlled upbringing—no pants, no dancing, no locked doors, no autonomy—and how she secretly built a creative empire anyway. From tracking her money in a ledger at 13 to filming 250 Amazon videos just to fund her escape, her story is WILD.We also talk about:• Calvin’s life in a literal polygamist cult (44 siblings, 4 moms)• How both of us had to sneak to be ourselves• The weird things parents punish when they’re threatened by your freedom• Why people hate when you succeed• Turning your most painful memories into art• Processing childhood control, religious fear, and the hunger for autonomy• And why dancing on a VidSummit stage somehow brought us togetherThis conversation goes deeper than either of us expected. It’s raw, hilarious, heartbreaking, and empowering.If you grew up homeschooled, religious, controlled, sheltered, or just “different”—you’re gonna feel this one.Welcome back to Cultured Boy. Let’s dive in.00:00 The “Cult of Homeschooled” Cold Open 🎒00:54 Calvin’s 44 Siblings Intro 🤯01:46 Rae vs Taylor Swift: The Numbers 📈02:40 We Met Dancing on Stage at VidSummit 🕺04:04 Homeschool Myths & Secret Nerd Superpowers 🧠07:28 Polygamist Schoolhouse vs Southern Homeschool 🏡11:29 Teenage Money Ledgers & Hustling for Freedom 💸18:02 Sneaking Jobs, Cash & Forbidden Wendy’s 🍔23:41 Why You Can’t Tell Everyone Your Good News 😶‍🌫️30:30 No Proms, No Dancing, No Pants: Control 101 💃🚫43:35 “I Started YouTube So People Would Finally Like Me” 📹49:12 Screwed Windows, No Locked Doors & Punishing Autonomy 🔒1:09:35 250 Amazon Videos & The Great Escape Car 🚗1:21:00 Turning Homeschool Trauma Into Comedy & Cash 🎭1:28:39 You’re Not Late—All the Rules Are Made Up ⏰

Ep 36: New York comedy isn’t just punchlines — it’s logistics, ego, nerves, and a whole lot of behind-the-scenes problem-solving.In this on-site Cultured Boy episode, I spend the night with my friend Zoe — a stand-up comedian and weekly show producer in Manhattan — as she’s juggling a fresh breakup, the politics of building a lineup, getting ready, barking for the show, and then actually getting on stage. What starts as a simple question (“what’s it really like trying to make it as a female comic in NYC?”) turns into something deeper: a late-night conversation about philosophy, “othering,” and the surprising moral mission that’s quietly driving everything she’s doing.It’s chaotic, funny, intimate, and real — a basement show, a full day in motion, and a reminder that you can’t judge someone’s life (or their act) by the cover.0:00 😵‍💫 Episode begins3:00 🏙️ Welcome to Zoe’s Manhattan producer lair6:10 🎭 The science (and politics) of a comedy lineup9:45 💄 “Putting on my face” — makeup as a job requirement12:50 📵 Post-breakup relapse fears + “lock it in publicly”15:40 🚩 The control/freedom clash that ended it18:50 🗣️ Barking the show + needing a co-producer22:05 🧠 Frankfurt School + “what makes a Nazi?” (casual)24:55 👖 Outfit spiral: leggings vs jeans vs being “heard”31:40 🍱 Microwave survival meal + pre-show jitters34:55 🚗 Car ride chaos + barking in the wild37:45 🎤 Zoe’s set: breakup jokes & “spermicide” opener41:00 💍 “Elope for Google benefits” + exclusivity fight44:40 🤔 Post-show: “so much effort… for what?”47:20 🐄 Philosophy → animal rights: the real engine50:05 ❤️ “I care so much” + the long game strategy52:45 😂 Comedy as a shield-dropper: why it’s effective55:35 🌊 Closing reflection: there’s always more to the storyFollow Zoe: Instagram - @zoecomedy