The core of the episode revolves around Olga’s academic and personal obsession with how we form bonds with people we don't actually know.

• Defining the "Fwendship": Olga explains that the term "parasocial relationship" was coined in the 1950s regarding talk show hosts, but has been "turbo-charged" by social media and podcasts.
• The Intimacy of Audio: She notes that podcasting creates the most intense version of this bond because the host is "directly in your ear" for long periods, leading listeners to feel they are part of a "perceived inner circle".
• The Emotional Reality: Olga argues that even if a relationship is "imaginary" or one-sided, the emotional response (the dopamine hit from a message or the grief when a character dies) is biologically valid and real.

We are bringing FWENDS to the stage at Comedy Republic for the Melbourne International Comedy Festival! Tickets are almost gone. 📅 Saturday, 11 April @ 3:00pm 🎟️ BOOK TICKETS HERE: https://www.comedyrepublic.com.au/event/38:542/38:2033/

Fwends: @fwendspod

Helen Bauer: @helenbauer

Georgia Mooney: @georgiamooney

Kyran Nicholson: @kyrannicholson

Rhys Nicholson: @rhysnicholson

Comedy Republic: @comedyrepublicmelb

Watch the full ep on YouTube: https://youtu.be/WF0IKNQQVv4

Produced by Comedy Republic.

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