Katherine Bernard (KB) Olsen is a never-mo (never Mormon) — but also one of the most devoted fans of Mormon Stories Podcast. A queer, secular journalist with deep Jewish roots and a high-fashion pedigree, Katherine has spent over 20 years captivated by the LDS Church — despite never being religious herself. In her first-ever full-length interview about her life story, she opens up about her lifelong curiosity with Mormonism, identity, belief, and American culture.

KB's impressive journalism career includes work at Vogue, New York Times, and other top-tier New York publications. After moving from Maryland to attend NYU for journalism, she found herself drawn not only to art and culture — but also to spirituality, history, and the paradoxes of organized religion. Over the years, her interest in Mormonism became a deep and serious intellectual pursuit.

What You'll Hear in This Interview:

-Her upbringing in a secular household in Maryland

-Her exploration of Jewish identity and eventual conversion

-Her first exposure to Mormonism through South Park, Big Love, and The Book of Mormon musical

-Her emotional journey coming out as gay in a non-supportive environment

-Her reflections on shame, logic, identity, and community

-Her nuanced take on Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon, and Mormon reality TV

-Her insights into conditioning, religious extremism, and spiritual seeking

This episode is a masterclass in curiosity — how someone with no personal ties to the LDS Church became one of its most thoughtful outside observers. KB explores Mormonism not as a critic or a believer, but as a seeker with a journalist’s eye.

Watch this episode on YouTube here.

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Contact us:

MormonStories@gmail.com

PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117

Join Natasha Helfer, Chelsea Homer, and Alyssa Witbeck as we review Episodes 1-4 of Season 2 of the Secret Lives of Mormon Wives...where we answer the questions: What is Mormon soft swinging, and is that really a thing?

Show Notes___________________

Show Notes

YouTube

Mormon Stories Thanks Our Generous Donors!

Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today:

• • One-time or recurring donation through Donorbox
  • Support us on Patreon
  • PayPal
  • Venmo

Our Platforms:

• • YouTube
  • Patreon
  • Spotify
  • Apple Podcasts

Contact us:
MormonStories@gmail.com
PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117

Social Media:

• • Insta: @mormstories
  • TikTok: @mormonstoriespodcast
  • Join the Discord

Please join us Thursday evening at 6pm Utah time for a call-in show discussing the topic of "Are Mormons Christian?"This is part 2 of a weekly call-in show format that we are experimenting with.If you would like to join the show, please observe the following:1) Come prepared with a ONE MINUTE comment or question on the topic for the panelists to discuss. This is NOT the format to tell your moment story. If the panelists want to follow up with more questions they will do so.2) Please make sure that when you enter StreamYard your video and audio are fully enabled or you will not be added to the conversation.3) When you join, please share in the StreamYard group chat your comment or question so it can be considered by the moderators.4) The StreamYard link will be pinned as a YouTube comment at the beginning of the show.5) If you have a video comment or question that you want to share before the show airs, please send it to: mormonstories@gmail.com, and please consider posting it to TikTok and tagging it #mormonstorieslive.Show Notes for this episode can be found on the Mormon Stories Blog here.

___________________

Show Notes

YouTube

Mormon Stories Thanks Our Generous Donors!

Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today:

• • One-time or recurring donation through Donorbox
  • Support us on Patreon
  • PayPal
  • Venmo

Our Platforms:

• • YouTube
  • Patreon
  • Spotify
  • Apple Podcasts

Contact us:
MormonStories@gmail.com
PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117

Social Media:

• • Insta: @mormstories
  • TikTok: @mormonstoriespodcast
  • Join the Discord