Fwends

It's Russia's/Several other countries' Olga Koch! One of the world's best comedians and, as we find out in the episode, also a real bloody brainiac. Join the gang as we learn that we are definitely in para-social relationships, Kyran is very good at segues, and Rhys is trying to interview someone. A joy! Fwends!

The Parasocial Deep-Dive
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.

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: https://www.comedyrepublic.com.au/event/38:542/38:2033/

FOLLOW FWENDS ON INSTAGRAM
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 - [email protected]
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.

The Crisis Queen!
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

Inside the Episode
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

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: https://www.comedyrepublic.com.au/event/38:542/38:2033/

FOLLOW FWENDS ON INSTAGRAM
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 have just been to Disneyland and are giddy as kiddies about it. That is, we'll be honest, most of the episode. And then Georgia presents a business idea.

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 - [email protected]
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
Nish Kumar
Georgia Mooney
Kyran Nicholson
Rhys Nicholson
Comedy Republic

Produced by Comedy Republic.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're Back!
To kick off the brand new season, we are joined by the incomparable Nish Kumar (Pod Save the UK, Taskmaster, The Bugle). We sat Nish down on the set of Off Menu (we changed the logo on the telly, don't tell Ed and James) to discuss the high-stakes world of international friendship.

You can also now watch the full ep on YouTube: https://youtu.be/1_dgQHE-g-s

Inside the Episode
-The Ravioli Incident: Why a 3-year-old Nish thought white people were eating hot tea bags.
-The Great Euston Rescue: The heartwarming story of James Acaster liberating Nish from a panic attack at a train station.
-The "X-Men" Theory: Why your friendship group needs a Wolverine, a Food Captain, and someone to sink a boat with.
-The ADHD "Superpower": Is it a gift? Or is it like Superman shitting himself every fourth time he flies? (Nish and Rhys have thoughts).

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: https://www.comedyrepublic.com.au/event/38:542/38:2033/

FOLLOW FWENDS ON INSTAGRAM
Nish Kumar: @mrnishkumar
Georgia Mooney: @georgiamooney
Kyran Nicholson: @kyrannicholson
Rhys Nicholson: @rhysnicholson
Comedy Republic: @comedyrepublicmelb

Watch the full ep on YouTube: https://youtu.be/1_dgQHE-g-s

Produced by Comedy Republic.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.