They had the perfect marriage. Or did they?
Between John “I love my wife” Mulaney immediately moving on from his marriage of six years with a new baby and girlfriend in tow, Adam “that body of yours is absurd” Levine serially cheating on a pregnant Behati Prinsloo, and, of course, self-professed Ned “wife guy” Fulmer of the Try Guys being recently ousted from the company for having been caught having a long-term affair with an employee, this is the question that’s been plaguing Internet goers–but why exactly have these stories blown up in the way that they have?
Let’s break it down:
#1: Relatability
Firstly, it boils down to one thing: relatability. With cheating on the rise in 2022 and beyond (with a staggering 44% of people reportedly having affairs outside of their relationship) and divorce rates continuing to tick upwards around the globe, seeing these seemingly picture-perfect marriages crumble to ashes has sparked a wildfire of indignation across social media…and also a type of collective catharsis.
#2: Parasocial Relationships
There are some outlets that don’t understand the Internet frenzy, with SNL being a prime example: this confusion, however, seems to stem from a lack of background on how these men branded themselves as “wife guys”. Ned Fulmer, as an example, released a date night-themed cookbook with a photo of him and his wife plastered on the cover–his merchandise catchphrase was literally, “I love my wife.” Most of his solo videos for the Try Guys brand orbited around his wife in some way, with her name–or even Ariel Fulmer herself–appearing at least once in each clip.
For those who were already fans of Ned and the Try Guys, however, there was a sense of knowing him and Ariel as a couple… even though what was seen was obviously just a small, curated fraction of their lives together.
This false sense of closeness is defined as a parasocial relationship, which is described as, “A one-sided relationship that a media user engages in with a media persona.”
With “relatable” personalities like the Try Guys dominating YouTube and other media channels, it can be easy to slip into this type of one-sided relationship–which, when shattered, can feel like the rug has been pulled out from under us.
#3: PR Finally Being Done Right
How many recent YouTube apologies have left fans feeling disappointed, upset, and angry?
If you’re having to use both hands to count, you’re not alone… which is why the Try Guys stepping up and treating this situation like the actual HR nightmare it is rang so true with their audience of 8 million.
With $6 million per year being generated by the Try Guys YouTube channel alone–not to mention their multiple other revenue streams, like their Food Network and Discovery+ show No Recipe Road Trip with the Try Guys and their 2019 book release The Hidden Power of Fucking Up–there is a lot at stake due to Ned’s indiscretion, and it’s being treated accordingly. Their somber public address, a video aptly named “what happened”, has already racked up millions of views at the time of publication.
What’s your take on the recent “death of the wife guy” phenomenon? Let us know in the comments below.
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This Post is republished on Medium.
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Photo credit: iStock
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