Dinner for Vampires: Life on a Cult TV Show (While also in an Actual Cult!)

Dinner for Vampires covers the variety of psychological mechanisms cults use to entice, entrap, and control their members. Initially, the cult uses “love bombing,” “cold reads,” and the allure of acceptance and community to Joy when she is lonely and vulnerable to recruit her into the group. Once she has committed to them, they use “struggle sessions,” isolation from family and friends, the threat of eternal damnation, and financial control to keep her in the fold. When she leaves, they use intimidation and shunning to attempt to convince her to return—all tactics typical of high-control groups.

The Family’s leadership uses specific tactics on Joy at strategic moments in her life when she is particularly vulnerable. For example, Joy initially joins the Saturday Bible study which becomes the Family cult when she’s new to LA and her only friends are Mina and Camille. She’s devastated and depressed in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in NYC. In response, Mina brings her to the Bible study. There, Joy finds the maternal attention (in the form of Pam), community, and loving support that she’s missing in her life. She emphasizes the group’s use of “love bombing,” or overwhelming Joy with affection, to make her feel wanted.