S32E21: Aimee Semple McPherson | The Disappearing Evangelist

Trashy Divorces

Hemlock Creatives

History, Comedy

4.5 • 2.2K Ratings

🗓️ 25 March 2026

⏱️ 57 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In 1920s Los Angeles, one of the biggest names in American evangelism was, surprisingly for the time, a woman. Aimee Semple McPherson founded America's first megachurch, preaching to some 17,000 people at three services, seven days a week. She founded a radio station that shared those services to millions of households around the country. 10% of the population of Los Angeles held a membership at her Angelus Temple. And on May 18, 1926, Aimee Semple McPherson vanished. Want early, ad-free episodes, regular Dumpster Dives, bonus divorces, limited series, Zoom hangouts, and more? Join us at patreon.com/trashydivorces! Want a personalized message for someone in your life? Check us out on Cameo! To advertise on our podcast, please reach out to info@amplitudemediapartners.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Fiscally responsible, financial geniuses, monetary magicians. These are things people say about drivers who switch their car insurance to Progressive and save hundreds. Because Progressive offers discounts for paying in full, owning a home and more. Plus, you can count on their great customer service to help when you need it so your dollar
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0:31.3	in all states or situations.
0:33.3	Olivia loves a challenge. It's why she lifts heavy weights and likes complicated recipes.
0:41.0	But for booking her trip to Paris, Olivia chose the easy way with Expedia.
0:45.3	She bundled her flight with a hotel to save more.
0:47.9	Of course, she still climbed all 674 steps to the top of the Eiffel Tower.
0:53.4	You were made to take the easy route. We were made to
0:57.0	easily package your trip. Expedia made to travel. Flight inclusive packages are at all protected.
1:03.6	Welcome to trashy divorces. Everybody's favorite good podcast about bad relationships. My name is
1:09.6	Alicia. And this week, Stacey, we are leaving the 1970s
1:13.9	punk scene to go into the roaring 20s. Sure, there was a lot of roaring. What's you got for us?
1:22.0	Hello, everyone. Today we are going to talk about one of the early 20th century's most famous evangelists in America.
1:31.3	Yeah, this is kind of my wheelhouse.
1:33.7	This is Amy Simple McPherson.
1:36.0	She's actually been mentioned on the show before.
1:38.4	A little bit of a spider web.
1:39.5	We'll get to that, yeah.
1:40.7	And yeah, it's a banger.
1:42.8	There's all sorts of unexpected twists and true crimey and divorces. Roaring 20s. Let's go, go, yeah. And yeah, it's a, it's a banger. There's all sorts of unexpected twists and true
1:45.0	crimey and divorces. We're wearing 20s. Let's go, go, go.
	...

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