# Fake "Friends" in LDS and Ex-Mormon Media

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/welcome-to-the-weekly-mormonnewsroundup-where-al-dives-ruminate-on-the-great-and-spacious-beehive-5440377/fake-friends-in-lds-and-ex-mormon-media
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/welcome-to-the-weekly-mormonnewsroundup-where-al-dives-ruminate-on-the-great-and-spacious-beehive-5440377/fake-friends-in-lds-and-ex-mormon-media.md
Podcast: [Welcome to the MormonNewsRoundup where Dives ruminates on the great and spacious Beehive!](https://stenobird.com/podcast/welcome-to-the-weekly-mormonnewsroundup-where-al-dives-ruminate-on-the-great-and-spacious-beehive-5440377)
Published: 2026-07-22T01:30:00+00:00
Episode link: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mormonnewsroundup/episodes/Fake-Friends-in-LDS-and-Ex-Mormon-Media-e3mbsm1
Audio file: https://anchor.fm/s/8e53bf90/podcast/play/123121793/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2026-6-21%2F428346275-44100-2-82e46fe19f537.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/welcome-to-the-weekly-mormonnewsroundup-where-al-dives-ruminate-on-the-great-and-spacious-beehive-5440377/episodes/fake-friends-in-lds-and-ex-mormon-media
Duration seconds: 524

## Resource

For years, Mormon News Roundup was built around cohosts, guests, and collaborations. I shared my platform with dozens—maybe hundreds—of creators from across the Mormon and ex-Mormon worlds. Many of them felt like genuine friends.At least, that's what I thought.In this deeply personal episode, I talk about the reality of online friendships, content creator relationships, and the hard lessons I've learned after years of podcasting and producing nearly 3,000 videos.We discuss:• Why many creator friendships turned out to be surprisingly fragile• The difference between real friendship and professional convenience• One-sided collaborations and platform dynamics• Doxxing attempts, privacy concerns, and threats against my family• The emotional toll of online drama and public controversy• What happened when I announced the LDS Church had taken steps toward litigation• Why I no longer bring regular cohosts onto Mormon News Roundup• How my views on trust, loyalty, and community have changedThis isn't a callout video. I'm not interested in relitigating old conflicts or naming names. Instead, this is an honest reflection on what happens when online relationships collide with real life, and what I've learned about boundaries, privacy, and protecting the people I care about most.Sometimes the hardest lessons come from the people you thought were closest to you.If you've ever experienced friendship, collaboration, betrayal, or disappointment in online communities, I'd be interested to hear your perspective in the comments.#ExMormon #MormonNewsRoundup #Mormonism #Podcasting #ContentCreator #ExMormonCommunity #LDS #OnlineFriendships #YouTubeCreator #FaithJourney #Doxxing #Commentary #PersonalStory #MormonDiscussion #YouTubeDramaPlease consider making a donation by joining our Patreon ht…

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