Watch Keke Palmer Convince Issa Rae She’s Joining a Cult in Prank Call

Keke Palmer had Issa Rae concerned that she was leaving entertainment to join a mysterious cult.

The I Love Boosters star pranked the actress and producer in a recent installment of ELLE’s Phoning It In, also pranking filmmaker Boots Riley and actress-singer Teyana Taylor. Around the 3-minute mark of the video below, Palmer dialed up Rae and told her that after attending a retreat, she saw a “shaman” and joined a cult.

“Well, don’t look it up because they’re just going to tell you it’s a cult,” Palmer said through fake tears. “I got into it with my mom. It’s been a whole thing. I’m joining the calamse because I can’t do this anymore.”

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After saying that she’s “leaving everything behind,” Palmer shouted that the industry has held her at “gunpoint” her entire life. After denying that she was judging Palmer, Rae said she was “concerned.”

“Everybody concerned. But nobody didn’t do anything,” Palmer said.

“What were we supposed [to do]? What do you need us to do?” Rae asked.

After the Insecure creator shared that she couldn’t spell the cult’s name, Palmer finally confessed. “What you need to look up is ELLE Magazine because I’m actually pranking you,” Palmer joked. “I was like, I got to call my girl and get her pranked up. I was like, she’s going to love this. Let’s give her the cult story line.”

Rae was a producer of 2025 buddy-comedy One of Them Days, which co-starred Palmer and SZA. Palmer also had a cameo role in the final season of Insecure, which concluded in 2021 after 5 seasons.