The PR Breakdown with Molly McPherson 228: Grieving for a Social Media Influencer: Exploring Parasocial Relationships on Reddit with Emily Rose
The rise of social media influencers means it is easier than ever to form parasocial relationships with celebrities or online influencers. Although parasocial relationships are one-sided and don’t involve any contact in the real world, the death of someone whose life you have been closely following online can cause a visceral reaction.
In the case of Dave Hollis, his sudden death at the age of 47 sent a subreddit community of over 13,000 people into an emotional freefall. In this conversation with Emily Rose, digital creator and host of the It’s Become A Whole Thing podcast, you’ll hear about the dynamics of parasocial relationships, how celebrities leverage these types of relationships, and the coping mechanisms that people employ when the other side of a one-way relationship experiences a life event.
Key Points From This Episode:
- The tragic event that shook a 13,000-person-strong Reddit community and how they expressed their grief.
- The story of how Dave Hollis and his ex-wife Rachel Hollis turned their once rabid fans into disenfranchised ex-fans.
- The abrupt emotional shift that often accompanies a person’s death.
- The definition of a parasocial relationship.
- The spectrum of celebrity-focused communities that can be found online.
- Emily’s thoughts on the worst thing that can happen to a celebrity.
- Examples of how celebrities leverage parasocial relationships to their advantage.
- Reddit communities can be a double-edged sword - they can offer amazing support and resources, but also attract trolls who can make the experience unbearable.
- Aspects of the Hollis brand that make them so relatable.
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
It’s Become A Whole Thing Podcast
How Rachel and Dave Hollis Destroyed Their Million-Dollar Brand (YouTube)
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