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COL680: LoR: Parasocial Interactions

In this episode of Cubs Out Loud, it’s time for another Landscape of Relationships. The cubs are once again joined by Dr. Edward Angelini-Cooke for this insightful look into one-sided parasocial interactions. From celebrities to social media influencers, learn how these types of relationships are formed without the others’ knowledge and also the positive and negative impacts they can have on the person creating it. Please like, comment and subscribe to learn more.

Show Topic

Landscape of Relationships: Parasocial Interactions

Parasocial relationships are one-sided relationships where one person invests lots of time, energy, interest, and sometimes money where the other person is completely unaware of the other person’s existence.  Parasocial relationships are most common with celebrities, organizations, television stars, and social media.  These relationships are created through parasocial interactions (PSI) through mediated encounters with performers through mass media.

Social media offers an added layer of interaction for these relationships to intensify through likes, comments, and direct messaging.  

Alief – def. knowing something isn’t real but feeling like it is

Positive Outcomes of Parasocial Relationships

*Identity Formation 

  • performers can offer autonomy in relationships where they can receive total acceptance outside of parents/family.  
  • provide a secure relationship without the fear of rejection.
  • feeling a part of a group 
  • empathy

*Learning

  • Bandura’s Social Learning Theory says that social behavior is learning and imitating the behaviors of others. 
  • Shows like Mr. Rogers Neighborhood, Sesame Street, Dora the Explorer, Blue’s Clues, and more recently Bluey all offer kids opportunities to learn through identification with these characters.  

Negative Outcomes of Parasocial Relationships 

*Body Image 

  • research has indicated a negative relationship between parasocial relationships and body image, as well as self-comparison, social comparison with characters increases negative body image 
  • interestingly among men, having a PSR with a superhero is likely to protect body image, where not having a PSR with a superhero is likely to hurt body image 
  • the usage of filters in social media (like airbrushing in print media) has greatly increased, giving a false reality of performers.

*Aggression 

  • more aggressive viewers were more likely to identify with aggressive characters and create PSR with them. 

*General 

  • anxiety media views are more likely to be more invested in parasocial relationships 
  • parasocial relationships are one-sided and different traditional friendships
  • the whole hegemonic masculinity thing
  • parasocial breakups and grief “what happens when they ‘betray’ you or they die?” Research indicated this follows the patterns of a relationship breakup
  • can create bias in reality 

Topics of PSR

  • Taylor Swift “Swifties”, Lizzo “Lizzbeans”
  • Twitter/Only Fans
  • Reality TV Stars 
  • Vloggers/Podcast hosts 
  • Fictional Characters 
  • Tiktok 
  • Politicians

Be mindful of the media you are consuming and how that translates into your other relationships and the real world.

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COLDR: S14E05: The Ross Matthews Roast, Catwalk, Reunited, Grand Finale

In this episode of COL Drag Race ‘T-Time’, Gary and Damon are back together again to ruview the finale episodes of Season 14. From roasting and dancing to suddenly being in the finale, listen in as the guys catwalk through the queens as they go from Top 7 to Top 5 to Top 2 and on to a winner, baby! Which queen has the charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent to sashay their way to winning it in Vegas?

WEEKLY TOPIC

RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 14

Put the Pedal to the Metal:

  • [Damon] – And suddenly Finale! Jasmine had some NERVE!
  • [Gary] – That was fast

Snaps & Eyerolls:

  • [Damon] – Snaps for… Best Read EVER!
  • [Gary] – Snaps for… Stunting Us All
  • [Damon] – Eyerolls for… The Showmances??
  • [Gary] – Eyerolls for… That is one UGH-AH-LEE bitcha
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COL525: What is… Confidence?

In this episode of Cubs Out Loud, the guys present their next installment of the “What is…” series. For this installation, the cubs talk about being confident. The guys spend some time airing out their definitions of confidence and discussing what it means to them. Is confidence sexy? Where is the line between confidence and arrogance?

Show Topic

What is. . . Confidence?

  • Is confidence something we work on projecting? How do we see confidence in others? How sexy is confidence?

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COL514: Trans Bear Listener

In this episode of Cubs Out Loud, the guys review some recent feedback from one of their newest audience members. This trans bear listener addresses some concerns after reviewing some of our past episodes and the comments we made. As Pride Month comes to a close, listen as the guys discuss these concerns and discuss their growth as they try to become allies to the transgender community.

Show Topic

Trans Bear Listener – we talk about an email we received earlier this summer, how we feel when it comes to being an ally to trans individuals, and owning where we are today.

Hello,

New listener here, and I’d like to start off by saying sorry if this message is kinda long and rambling, I’m sure I’m mostly gonna stream of consciousness write it.

I listened to all your most recent episodes that are accessable via Google Podcasts; then I thought I should Google your podcast + Transgender, because I’ve had a couple experiences of enjoying a Thing ™️, only to find out that the people that produce it have said some really offensive stuff about trans folks. So I happy to discover that you had some episodes tagged as transgender on your site, so I could listen and get the tea. I listened to a few of them, but then for some reason your website stopped playing them, unclear if it was my phone or your site, or what, but I think I heard all the important bits.

I don’t want this to come across as a dressing down or anything like that, I really just want to educate. Mostly I wanna call back to some stuff I heard in COL388: Entourage Feedback, and COL474/475: Bear World Weekend, as well as share some of my own stories.

Most of what you guys said in 388 was on the better side of things I’ve heard, but one of the things that stood out to me was the use of the term “female genitalia”, obviously I don’t speak for all of the trans community, but one thing that holds true for me, and most trans people I know would prefer if you didn’t say things like that. To put it in the slogan-y terms, “it’s not female genitalia, I’m a man and it’s mine”, a better way to talk about it would be someone who has not had surgery, or someone with their original parts. And like tips and hints for guys who are interested in trans guys, even though you guys basically said you aren’t, just ask what he wants his junk called; obviously there’s like the most famous trans man  porn star who calls himself “a man with a pussy” but I know if you use that term with me it’s gonna be an instant turn off, I don’t want feminine terms for myself, it instantly makes me feel unsexy, but some trans guys will be totally fine with it, so best just to all whoever you’re with.

The other thing that stuck out to me in that episode was someone, sorry I don’t recall who, said they couldn’t even picture playing with a trans guy who had had bottom surgery, even if they were attracted to him, and that personally I don’t get. I haven’t had surgery, I don’t ever want to force anyone to have sex with me who doesn’t want to, and like as long as someone doesn’t go out of their way to be a fuck-stick, to call me disgusting or tell me that I’m not allowed in gay spaces or anything like that, it’s ok with me that someone may not be interested because if the equipment I’ve got. But if someone would have sex with the exact same cis dude but wouldn’t with that guys who has had bottom surgery I’m not understanding, since there are definitely trans guys that you can’t tell at all, at least until they cum.

In the episodes 474/475 it was neat to hear about the gender neutral contests, it sounded like it would also be acceptable for a trans man to compete in the Mr. Best contest, but I wanted to verify because having Cub be gender neutral is great, but the idea of mandating that trans men couldn’t compete in Mr. Bear or trans women couldn’t compete in Ms. Bear sounds bad. But also that’s not what it sounded like was happening, it just sounded like the trans man happened to be competing for Cub not that he wasn’t allowed to compete for Mr. Bear.

Anyhow, I was wondering if you’d ever thought about/sought out a trans bear to have as a guest on your show to talk about any of that?

Also in episode 388 it got brought up how important cock is to some of you. Again, that’s fine, so long as someone isn’t a total asshole to me I’m not gonna be upset over that being the case but I do have some interesting stories to tell over that. I’m a big big bear chub, or rather should probably say a big chubby pocket bear, pretty hairy, bearded, 5’7, over 300 pounds. So I know the types of guys I attract (and the types I’m into) but quite a few times I’ve had people who’ve thought they were like that and then realized when they met me, “oh having a cock isn’t nearly as important as I might have thought it was.” That’s happened many times on growlr, and Tumblr (R.I.P.) but more interestingly has happened in the midst of a hook up quite a few times. I would be playing with a hot bear who is definitely into me, but his husband/boyfriend/partner wouldn’t really be interested due to me being trans, but then in middle of fucking me he’d like shout to the other room “hon, you gotta come try this!” or boyfriend would lean in to check in on us and change his tune in being interested real quick. So again, no shade if it’s not your thing, but sometimes stuff can surprise people when they come face to face with a situation.

Cheers, 

Trans Bear

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COLDR: S11E09: L.A.D.P.!

In this episode of COL Drag Race ‘T-Time’,  Gary and Damon turn on the sirens as the queens improv their way through a cop comedy challenge. As the queen pair off and hog the stage, our pair critique their reading and face-kini runway glamour! Which queen gets a Get Out of Jail free card and which one ends up behind bars?

WEEKLY TOPIC

RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 11

Mini Challenge:

  • [Damon] – I think some of these gurls are illiterate…
  • [Gary] – Stink, Stank, Stunk

Maxi Challenge:

  • [Damon] – Scene Hogging
  • [Gary] – Dark Horse Runaway Winners

Stomp the Runway:

  • [Damon] – COME THRU NINA!
  • [Gary] – Some were Spot On

Let It All Hang Out Hunty:

  • [Damon] – Tender Moments w/Dad…
  • [Gary] – I got nothin’

Lip Sync for Your Life:

  • [Damon] – I’ve seen this before…
  • [Gary] – Meh. Next!

Snaps & Eyerolls:

  • [Damon] – Snaps for… A’Keria’s Commitment
  • [Damon] – Eyerolls for… Plastique didn’t get it
  • [Gary] – Snaps for… A’Keria & Brooke Lynn
  • [Gary] – Eyerolls for… Vanjie, Vanjie, Vanjie

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