Cancelled: The Dark Side of Wellness Culture with Lee Tilghman (Lee From America) and Leigh Stein
Podcast: QUESTION EVERYTHINGPublished On: Thu Oct 09 2025
Description: What really happens when the internet turns on you + you're CANCELED? Danielle sits down with Lee Tilghman (aka @LeeFromAmerica), once one of Instagram's first and biggest wellness influencers and now the author of the new memoir If You Don't Like This, I'll Die. Joining her is bestselling author and internet expert Leigh Stein, whose satire Self Care eerily mirrored Lee's real-life unraveling before they had ever met. Together, they unpack the rise, fall, and reinvention of Lee—and what their stories reveal about cancellation, consumerism, feminism, and the cost of turning your life into a brand. Lee and Leigh share: The rise and fall of @LeeFromAmerica + the truth behind her "cancellation" Why women often cancel women (and what that says about power, belonging, and feminism) How influencer culture shifted from smoothies and self-care to social justice and "performative activism" The hidden costs of turning your personal life into a brand The cycle of consumerism, outrage, and burnout that traps us online The role of mob mentality and snark communities in shaping influencer culture Why wellness can be both a lifeline and a lie + how to find balance offline The loneliness of influencer fame, and why it can feel so isolating at the top Why Gen Z still dreams of influencing despite burnout and backlash What it really takes to walk away, reinvent yourself, and reclaim your identity Follow Lee Tilghman on Instagram @leefromamerica Grab a copy of If You Don't Like This, I'll Die Book Rec: Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert Follow Leigh Stein @leighstein Grab a copy of Self Care Book Rec: The Situation and The Story by Vivian Gornick See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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