Heaven's Gate Cult | Marshall Applewhite | Mental Health & Personality 

3:25 *“Applewhite would be arrested again for stealing a rental car, he said that he was divinely authorized to keep that car. Applewhite was sentenced to 6 months in earthly prison for that offense.”* 😂🤣😭 HAHAHAAAA... I don’t think I’ve laughed this hard in months!

"Do not exit your containers until the comet has come to a full and complete stop."

A coworker's aunt was one of the members of that cult who took their lives. It's easy to make fun of these people...that is until one of their family members can look you in the eye and you can see their grief. So awful all of this is.

"It's also a term used by Homer Simpson when he makes a catastrophic error" Wit like a steel blade. In all seriousness, I laughed out loud right there. That was hilarious & caught me off guard.

Hey Doc, just wanted to say you've really found your voice and style lately and it's been amazing to watch. Interesting video as always, those little jokes you slip in always crack me up

Get out of bed, make morning coffee, turn on RU-vid, new Dr Grande video. It's a bit like clockwork now. Never disappointed. Excellent work as always, Dr G.

My husband has investigated many suicides. The phenomenon of the members acting happy or even feeling elated is a common component of the suicide decision process. Once a person breaks with reality and decides to commit suicide, they often act elated or happy. It’s the psychological equivalent of feeling relieved that they have committed to ending their suffering. Anyone who lives with someone who is at-risk for suicide should watch for a sudden shift in personality from introverted or depressed to an unexpected happy or elated emotional state. This is a distinct warning sign that they are in need of immediate help that should never be taken lightly. Another sign is giving away possessions. (One of this cult’s members gave a necklace to a car wash attendant he befriended right before this tragedy) If an at-risk individual shows a sudden shift in personality as described or gives away possessions, they should be taken immediately for medical evaluation. This analysis of the Heaven’s Gate event and the psychosis behind cult leaders and followers is excellent.

I love the way Dr Grande breaks everything down, and presents everything

He can be Do, she can be Re, I've always been happy just being Mi.

Them: if you want to get views on RU-vid, you need be sensationalist, be super high energy, and use flashy transitions Dr. Grande: *hold my mental health and personality analysis* 👍🏻

Worth mentioning too, their website is still active and still looks delightfully 90s. Apparently they left one guy alive to manage their internet presence, he still answers emails too

Dr. Grande is on FIRE 🔥

I'm from San Diego and remember when this happened. Everyone locally was shocked. It was like a mini Jonestown with sci fi overtones.

"the love-child of a disco ball and a geometry textbook" That made me laugh out loud. ^^ I really lit up when you mentioned Homer, moments before you did I was wondering if this case was parodied in the Simpsons. I always wondered where the idea for that episode came from - it was so out there. Loved growing up with that show. So many hidden references I'm discovering as an adult. Thank you for the high quality content as always. Truthfully you are the only host I'm subscribed to that I watch regularly. Your daily updates have become my new source of daily entertainment. So thank you The shirt is nice too.

“Even if an alien abduction did occur, paying claims would be the least of anyone’s problems because there would have been an alien abduction.” HAHAHAHAHA thank you again for such great serious content infused with humor. This is one of the best channels ever on RU-vid!

"Earthly prison" 😂😂 brilliant

Anyone interested in the stories of individual members, Stephanie Harlowe did a deep dive on her channel. Really tragic. Very interesting analysis as always Dr. Grande, thank you!

"Even if an alien abduction did occur, paying claims would be the least of anyone's problems"

Cool beans. I knew you would come through. I was reviewing your video on dark humor and it got me to thinking about this. My dad passed away while I was on active duty in March of 1997. I had to come home and in our usual Irish fashion we were having a sort of wake the night before Dad's funeral. The Comet Hale-Bopp was high in the sky and we were all sitting out front talking about Dad and one of my brother's remarked, "I bet Dad's up there telling those Heaven's Gate people they're bunch of idiots." Great talk Doc. The fact that they took rolls of quarters to call home and one even had a 9mm Beretta in his luggage makes this insanely weird.

You have one of the best ways of analyzing different topics. I really do appreciate your videos ❤️

Could you please do an analysis of Joseph Smith Jr. the Mormon prophet.

Dr Grande, a little constructive criticism. Please consider including more pictures in your vids. Sometimes it is nice to have a visual reference to what ur talking about (admittedly, u are fairly consistent and great at doing this in ur thumbnail.) Other than this very minor weakness, I absolutely love ur content. Informative, witty and totally hilarious. Plus your from Delaware, which automatically makes u 20% cooler. U actually inspired me to address my own mental health

Your use of deadpan/dry/witty humor is really the highlight of my quarantine. 😂😂 Thank you!!

Alien abduction insurance 🤣 Fabulous business model. Your face when you said “..... he came from outer space”.

I love how the one picture we see of applewhite is always that clip where his eyes are all bugged out. I dont believe in judging someone based on how their appearance, but look at him! You can take one look at him and see that he is incredibly unhinged!! I've lost track of how many times I've stated this, but Dr Grande, once again I was ecstatic to see this topic this morning. Yet another first class look at the darker side of mental health. Cheers! P.s. ...D'oh!! 😂

"where religion meets science fiction." Sounds a little like Scientology, too🤔

Nichelle Nichols' (portrayer of Nyota Uhura in Star Trek) brother was a member of Heaven's Gate that committed suicide. He is on the last tape they recorded, you know they had a hundred questions for him.

"A pretty safe bet on the part of an insurance company" ?? You think, Dr. Grande?? Priceless. Absolutely priceless.

Thank you Dr Grande, your videos on mental health are helping me stay sane during lockdown in the UK 🇬🇧

I’m looking forward to a future video on Lori Vallow and Chad Daybell.

"Applewhite was sentenced to 6 months, in earthly prison." This is gold.

Unbelievable how people could belive his delusions

True story: Heaven's Gate had its website hosted by an ISP in Minneapolis: Spacestar. This remote hosting was unusual in 1997, and not long afterwards, I asked Ed Deppy, the owner of Spacestar, why the cult sought his company out for web hosting. He said the cultists liked the name.

On being castrated he says "They were smiling and giggling right before having that procedure." But he doesn't mention if they were still smiling afterwards.

I would really appreciate a video on the recovery of cult and or sect survivors. Those that left or escaped. I was in a sect for 7 years and it's been over a decade now and my brain still feels damaged. It eases over time but I still struggle to discern between their teachings and reality and I still live in fear of prophecies and still morn the loss of people I loved that shunned me because I left. That being said, although it took me 2 years to finally get the guts to leave from the time I decided to leave, leaving was the best thing I ever did for myself. I'm so thankful I got the courage to do so. Information on this topic that is easy to understand and digest for the average person is scarce though.

While I was watching this video a truck with a sign that said “Next Level Carpet Cleaning” drove past me. Spooky!

"a history of looking forward to being taken by aliens" hihi

I remember this guy and his followers. You didn’t mention they all had $5 bills and quarters in their pockets when they died. So they would have money and change when they got to the comet. This isn’t a joke, they did, just like the Nike shoes and purple shrouds. I also saw the comet when it passed earth. Didn’t see them on it. This guy makes Charles Manson seem normal-almost. Great video. Thx very much.

I love that their website is still up actually. It's like a museum.

Note to self: start alien abduction insurance company! 😎

In all my years of witnessing and experiencing different belief systems, this has to be the weirdest. It is amazing to see what some people will believe in when they have a charismatic leader to lead them down that wild path. If belief systems can be described as either healthy or unhealthy, then this one must be the most unhealthy ever in all kinds of ways. What make it even weirder (what could be weirder than spaceship ideas and group suicide?) is that a group of monetarily successful people would be so mentally/psychologically ILL that they would actually follow a mentally sick person even to the point of death. If they actually believed that they were "chosen," then maybe they could all be diagnosed with some grandiose narcissism as well as they wanted to be considered "special." If that group were alive today, can you just imagine the studies that could arise from sessions with the members? Thank you, Dr. Grande! EXCELLENT video, as always! (...And I haven't even had my coffee yet!)

After finding and binge watching his channel for days, Dr. Grande uploads this! I’ve been fascinated by Heaven’s gate for years. Thank you for providing us with great content!

You know those sayings...”you’re not everyone’s cup of tea...” “you can be the juiciest peach, but there’s still going to be someone that doesn’t like peaches...”...well that’s just not true in the case of Dr Grande. You’re everyone’s cup of tea!! I love this channel!!

Thank you so much for the insight on Applewhite & his "church." I am not a psychologist, but to me Applewhite & his followers seemed to be very broken people. I can see where the Heaven's Gate Star Trek themed doctrines caught the imaginations of his followers. In Star Trek the crew of the Enterprise all get along, regardless of race or species, in direct contrast to our current society.

I remember seeing Hale-Bopp back in 1997, after the group suicide of the Heavens Gate cult members. My first impression of the cultists, upon hearing why they killed themselves, was that they were a group of self deluded individuals who bought into the beliefs of a crazy person and got what was coming to them. But, as the days passed and Hale-Bopp continued in perihelion from west to east across the night sky; I began to reassess my first impression. Instead of seeing them just as suckers, I began to see them more as seekers. Desperately unhappy people for whom life in this world had never quite worked out; people for whom all other options had been exhausted; people who were willing to take a chance, no matter how improbable, on a person whom they all believed knew more than they did, and moreover, that what he knew was both right and true and would lead them into an existence in which they would finally be 'happy'. I understood, of course, that there was no alien mother ship riding on the back of Hale-Bopp, crewed by extraterrestrials waiting to 'beam up' the cultists and that they were just dead; but for the sake of those unhappy people, I sure began to wish their had been. 🛸🛸🛸🛸🛸 Sincerely, Morgan Freeman 🚀🚀🚀 Truly

Yes!! Thank you Dr Grande. I was waiting on this.

Anyone else enjoying seeing Dr Grande’s sense of humor ? He’s hilarious 😆

“Love child of a disco ball and a geometry textbook”. 😂😂😂😂

These subjects never cease to amaze me ,I do recall this one.. thanks DR G

Dr. Grande, your video's are great you have excellent insight with some pretty good comedy!!!

Dr. Grande, I absolutely love that whenever I'm looking for a video on a specific person, you come up! Thank-you for constantly putting up all this diverse content!!

great video. Also, Just something I remembered from Psychology class. My professor said that people, I'm not sure how to put this, but that people, before they commit suicide, when they make the decision, seem happier because they know that the pain is going to end, but other people would think that they would seem to be all depressed. When you said that the followers seems happy on that video, it reminded me of what I heard in class.

You are spreading knowledge dr. No doctors in Europe spread psychiatric videos to' let people FREE understand how the mind Is malfunctioning or personality disorders , your work should be teached in the secondary schoolas mandatory subject ,without psychiatric schooling this world have few chances to' get Better ... thanks dr Grande you are helping lots of people , your free videos work Will turn back to you in blessings and respect from lots of people.

I remember being a kid and seeing this guy on the news. His eyes are terrifying.

Thank you for making videos and posting them on RU-vid. Your intro and the way that you are consistent with saying that you are not providing a diagnosis is the kind of integrity the platform sorely lacks. You are straightforward, objective and very consistent in your approach and delivery. I appreciate your content and look forward to more.

Dr. Grande...and yet another interesting and thoughtful analysis! Dang you’re good...👍🏻

It would be interesting to hear your analysis of L. Ron Hubbard.

Thank you so much for putting your effort into cult leaders! We need better understanding of these people to not fall into their Follies and flights of fancy! Please do an episode on the BITE Model, so people can begin to use it to understand if certain groups are cults! You're doing great work, please do keep it up! Cheers Doc!

"sentenced to 6 months in earthly prison" 😁

i love how you drop so much content dr grande. watching now ! i’m sure i’ll learn a few things and also have a couple good laughs

„Exploding Earth Insurance“ 😂

Your presentation of this case was perfectly understood, kind sir! Well done! 😉👍

Another great analysis Dr. Grande!!

I'm so glad that you are moving on to cults! Fascinating.

I’m pleased to have been able to sign up to your patreon. Thank you doctor Grande. You seem a top fella. You’ve helped me. Thumbs up.

I found your channel a few days ago and have been binge watching it since. Thanks for making these videos!

Fast becoming one of my favourite channels on RU-vid. I like the uploads before I even watch, because I know that I'm going to like it regardless.

5:52 - Somewhere in Mexico: "Waiter, why are these rocky mountain oysters so small?"

love hearing about the cults! great video.

The "Do" and "Ti" personas have always fascinated me about this cult as someone with a bachelor's in music. Do is known as the tonic of a scale and Ti is the leading tone. The tonic can also be described as the root or "homebase", which can easily show how grandiose his thinking was. Ti is a half step/minor second below Do, the smallest possible interval in Western music that sounds kinda crunchy and dissonant to a listener. Ti is the leading tone because it creates tension and this feeling of needing to "return home" and the uneasiness of being so close and needing that release badly. With Ti dying first, the music theory connection gets pretty fucked up. His music background adds something really odd to all of this and makes me feel really uneasy.

Thank you, I was waiting for so long for this subject

Awesome, I've been binge-watching your videos.

This was the one I was going to request next, excellent!!! Personally, I wonder if they weren't all depressed and looking for a way out but too afraid to end their lives alone. How about doing Andrea Yates, I always felt she was one of the saddest cases and that she was actually delusional when she killed her children...unlike Susan Smith and Darlie Routier. Thanks for another informative and interesting video.

“He wasn’t really doing a good job of selling it there...” 😂

You very expertly picked apart this group's dynamic . Another Quality video . Thanks !

This was a real solid heavens gate video. There is not much out there, thanks. You rock man!

*laughing so much at the Homer Simpson comment* 😂😂😂

How did Dr Grande do this with a straight face.

You are so diligent with making new videos! Good for me, so I have something to enjoy each day after work! 😅👍

You are a hero, Dr. Grande

Your videos are so informative! Since fathers day is coming up, can you talk about absentee fathers and how that affects people. Or maybe the "daddy issues" and if that is a real thing?

Do an analysis on Lori Vallow and Charles Daybell

How you can keep a straight face thru your sarcasm and jokes is beyond me! Had me LOL so many times! Excellent analysis!

Fascinating! I really appreciate your wit and intelligence. Thanks for making these cases interesting and entertaining.

Damn, doc, you sure have done your homework, very well researched. Also your little jokes, lightening mood without being disrespectful, were great touch. But with the shared delusion- there is story about "the class" attempting their first castration DYI style, at home, with supplies stolen from veterinarian one member worked for. After operation, dude' scrotum keeps swelling like crazy, draining the liquid doesn't help and Applewhite, seeing this, says that he screwed up and wants them to take him to the police. Yet the group basically tells him to shut up, that they will deal with it. What I'm trying to say- after seeing and reading lot about Heaven's gate, it seems to me like they all together supported their delusions, with their ilnesses feeding into each other. The Two maybe started it, but in the end, I'm not sure whether Applewhite led them or they Applewhite.

"Earthly prison-"hilarious.

REALLY enjoyed this video! One of your finest!

Those subtle jokes are amazing!

Thank you for examining this interesting case. One wonders how people can be caught up in cults to the point of committing suicide at the behest of the cult leader. Applewhite further developed his theology in (earthly) prison - your sarcasm about the type of prison is amusing, Dr. Grande, and I enjoy your dry wit during your analysis of cases. Could you look at the common factors in the personality types and backgrounds of those drawn to cults in the first place?

Those who found their bodies must have been haunted by the scene for a long time. Cults both fascinate and scare me. Thanks for my daily treat! 👍

I would love it if you would analyze Bonnie Nettles also . I think she gets let off the hook in almost all coverage of the cult . Even though it seems she was the one who made the no family contact rule ( even though she stayed in touch with her family ) and she was a nurse who formed this kind of relationship with a mental patient.

Dang, Dr. G, how are you pumping out videos so fast?! You’re a powerhouse!

Just decided to start a new business… alien abduction insurance!

It seems to me that the motivations of different cult leaders may differ. Certainly, Manson was motivated by self interest, for example. But I've always thought that their followers fall into this through depression and dissatisfaction with their lives.

More Grande Gold ...watching again.

I'm glad you covered this. I was in Honduras at the time and it seems like the whole Jim Jones situation was still fresh in everybody's minds. I did not know about Marshall's troubled/troublesome history.

Hail Bop I'll give a listen "Doahhhhhh"

Thanks for another interesting video! Do you think you could do a video on the so-called “affluenza teen” Ethan Couch who drove drunk in 2013 and ended up killing 4 people and injuring 9 others? His family hired a lawyer and psychologist who gave him the defense that basically he was “too rich and spoiled to understand the consequences of his actions” or some such nonsense. Unbelievably that defense worked out pretty well for him. 😕 It would be interesting to see your take on the situation.

Great Analysis, Dr. Grande! 👍👍👍

just stumbled upon your videos and they have become quick favorites. your analysis provides a grander insight into the time, place, & various other factors of these cases; even if i was familiar with the stories beforehand constantly learn something knew from your medical perspective. the folie a deux theory is never brought up in other channels, but this is most certainly spot on!