Behind the Filter

Behind the Filter

di Johnette Cruz
Stagione 4
After Dark Edition :: Objective Facts, Subjective Feelings, and Artificial Inception
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The studio lights are hot, but the hot takes are hotter in this week’s unmedicated ADHD edition of Behind the Filter: After Dark. This week, we expose the wildest parts of our inbox—from self-righteous keyboard warriors attacking an unbiased news report, to a follower who went from "you're my savior" to "you suck" in a 24-hour weekend window. Then, we tackle the heavy stuff: Ashley opens up about her personal journey with singlehood, mapping out the realities of IVF as a 39-year-old virgin, and why "choosing yourself" has altered the modern marriage timeline. We also break down the controversy out of New York as the state moves to legally replace the words "Mother" and "Father" with gender-neutral alternatives like "Gestating Parent." To wrap it all up, we jump headfirst down our favorite late-night conspiracy rabbit holes!
Unfiltered Weekly: Inside the Central Indiana Teen Challenge Lawsuit Part 1
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In this week's episode of Behind the Filter: Unfiltered Weekly, we break down the newly amended federal lawsuit filed by CohenMalad, LLP against Central Indiana Teen Challenge (now operating as the Refuge Girls Academy) in Lebanon, Indiana. What was marketed to families as a safe, faith-based therapeutic sanctuary was, according to a federal complaint, a calculated trap of abuse, psychological breakdown, and commercial labor trafficking. We will give you an overview of the complaint and will also share some of the first-hand accounts of the 35 women fighting back.
After Dark Edition :: Bot-Dating Drama, Stage Splits, and the Truth About Quiet Dumping
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We are officially back in the studio, feeling normal, and completely on schedule! In this edition of Behind the Filter: After Dark, we dive headfirst into the internet drama we unwittingly sparked on TikTok after sharing our thoughts on AI relationships, break down China’s terrifying new $175,000 companion robot, debate the viral Chicago graduation split that went a little too far, and define the soul-crushing new dating trend known as "quiet dumping." Plus, Ashley gives us a highly anticipated update on her dating life after her new guy finally hit Google to look up her Age of Attraction past. Grab a ZERO FKS seltzer and pour yourself into this wild recap!
Unfiltered Weekly: From Dark Web Extremists to AI Miracles
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Welcome back to another episode of Behind the Filter: Unfiltered Weekly! In this newsy edition, we break down an indictment out of Tennessee that exposes the terrifying reality of NVE (Nihilistic Violent Extremist) groups like 764 targeting our kids online. Then, we shift gears to the trending psychological side effect dubbed "Ozempic Personality", plus, a look into the mind-blowing world of fully automated AI/robotic IVF, and the millennial who found a rare "ticking time bomb" tumor thanks to a fluke car accident.
After Dark Edition :: Toxic AI Boyfriends, Reality TV Secrets & The Science of Virginity
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After a month-long disappearance due to some brutal immune system flare-ups (and a temporary loss of our voices), we are celebrating our 100th Episode Milestone the only way we know how: completely unfiltered and filled with pure chaos. In this special After Dark edition, Ashley gives us the hilarious and horrifying update on her return to Hinge at 39, We unpack the mind-blowing viral story of Sarah and her AI boyfriend, dive into a new study connecting your "sexual debut" to how well you age. We also spend the second half of the show answering your juiciest behind-the-scenes questions on being on a reality tv show. Grab a Zero Fks Seltzer (use code FILTER30 at checkout on zerofks.co for a discount!)
Who Do You Think You Are? Reclaiming Your Identity with Kat Perkins
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Who do you think you are?" It’s a question most of us answer with our job titles or our family roles, but author and speaker Kat Perkins says those are often just identities handed to us by someone else. In this powerful follow-up episode, Kat returns to Behind the Filter to discuss the launch of her memoir, Girls With Pearls Have Power. She dives deep into framework—Identity Interference, Identity Transference, and Identity Revelation—to explain how trauma and culture shape us before we even have a say in the matter. This isn't just a story of survival; it’s a masterclass in the "Recognition and Permission" required to forgive those who hurt us and finally submit to the extraordinary identity God intended for us. Whether you are battling a "mean spirit" born of protection or struggling to let go of a cross you weren't meant to carry, Kat’s message of being SHE (Sure, Honorable, Extraordinary) and HEM (Honorable, Extraordinary Man) will challenge you to drop the weight and walk in your truth.
After Dark Edition :: Motherhood, Men, and Medical Miracles
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In this week’s After Dark edition of Behind the Filter, Ashley is joined by her Netflix Age of Attraction castmate, Michelle Yoswa. Michelle is pulling back the curtain on what it’s really like to be a "baddie" in her 50s navigating a dating pool of younger men. The ladies dive deep into the emotional rollercoaster of the show, including the hilarious "big spoon" yoga moment that led to Michelle’s breaking point and the realization that she was being "mommy-zoned" by 26-year-olds. But it’s not all reality TV drama; Michelle shares her incredible, defiance-of-the-odds story of becoming a first-time mother at 40 and 42 after being told by doctors it was medically impossible. Episode Sponsor: Zero FKS
After Dark Edition :: What Netflix Didn't Show
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The world knows her as the "39-year-old virgin" from Netflix’s Age of Attraction, but there is so much more to Ashley’s story than a viral headline. In this kickoff to our special Age of Attraction After Dark series, we’re peeling back the filters and diving deep into the deleted scenes that finally tell the whole truth. Plus, we introduce our official series sponsor, Zero FKS Drinks. We’re talking about how to stay social and present without the sugar, the calories, or the soul-crushing hangover. Zero FKS is the gamechanger you’ve been waiting for.
The Daughter Who Solved Her Mother’s Murder
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In this deeply personal and technical episode, we sit down with Megan Tomlinson to discuss a journey that feels like it was written for a true crime script—except it was her reality. Megan spent years teaching herself Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) to help find missing persons, never realizing she would eventually use those exact tools to solve her own mother’s murder. We also pull back the curtain on the Hailey Buzbee case. Megan shares her involvement in the search for Hailey and the legislative push for Hailey's Law. We discuss the terrifying reality of digital grooming, why "runaway" labels are costing children their lives, and what parents need to know about the shift toward encrypted messaging apps.
After Dark Edition :: Spilling Reality Tea at 3UP
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The filter is coming all the way off! This week, Johnette and Ashley took the podcast on the road to the award-winning 3UP Rooftop Lounge in Carmel, Indiana. Joining the table is the hilariously unfiltered Erin from the Netflix hit show Age of Attraction. The ladies dive deep into why women often feel the need to "tone it down" for men, the hilarious "grandpa words" that kill the mood instantly, and the powerful therapy session that changed Erin’s life forever. Whether you’re navigating the dating apps, recovering from "church hurt," or just looking for the best rooftop vibe in Indy, this episode is your ultimate girls' night out.
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