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.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's Only Fwends! Every fortnight, between interviews, we three Fwends have a little natter.

On this episode, Rhys and Kyran are new godparents, and Georgia has had her first psychic reading.

SEE US LIVE AT MICF 2026

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

CONTACT

Voicemail - speakpipe.com/fwendspod

Email - fwendspod@gmail.com

Mail - PO Box 24144, Melbourne, VIC 3001, Australia

FWENDS WITH BENEFITS

Get ad free listening and access to the Simply Marvellous archive! (Simply Marvellous both the perfect adjective and also actually just the name of the old show). Plus other fun stuff!

Apple: Subscribe above!

Not Apple: https://fwends.supercast.com

RATE AND REVIEW

If you'd be so kind, we'd absolutely love you to leave a charming rating and review? In whatever podcast app you're in right now...a little 5 stars will do?

FOLLOW FWENDS ON INSTAGRAM

Georgia Mooney

Kyran Nicholson

Rhys Nicholson

Comedy Republic

Produced by Comedy Republic.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are joined by the wonderful Helen Bauer (Trusty Hogs, Helen's Log). We sat Helen down to discuss the high-stakes world of international friendship, why she is a "smash in emergency" friend, and how she once propositioned our host in a school cafeteria.

You can also now watch the full ep on YouTube: https://youtu.be/WF0IKNQQVv4

• The Crisis Captain: Why Helen prefers her friends when they are having a breakdown rather than when they are thriving.
• The Ultimate Care Package: Helen’s step-by-step guide to nursing a friend back to health, involving lavender eucalyptus mist and oversized pajamas.
• Little Women Fever: The group debates who is the Jo, the Meg, and the Beth of the friendship group.
• The "Naked as Frankenstein" Incident

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.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.