This podcast was created on the lands of the Ngunnawal, Wadawurrung and Dja Dja Wurrung Peoples.
Hello, hello, and welcome to F Them Fish: AuDHD for Grownups with your neurodivergent besties, Callie Elward-Barrett and Jayne Gurton. This is the podcast where we talk about neurodivergence in real adult life: work, relationships, burnout, overwhelm, identity, and all the weird little things that make you think, ‘surely it’s not just me.’ We’re honest, occasionally sweary, and very much not interested in pretending to be polished.
Grab a beverage, or body double some life admin with us in your ears and let’s get started!
In this week’s episode, Callie and Jayne deep dive the podcast phenomenon ‘Beth’s Dead’ – a limited series true crime podcast, all about parasocial relationships gone wrong.
More importantly, why is this relevant to neurodivergence? We will tell you with the help of some of our listener questions.
Links
- https://www.patreon.com/cw/BethsDead – listen to Beth’s Dead
- https://www.instagram.com/nobodyslisteningright/ – follow Elizabeth and Any on Instagram – tell them we sent you (they won’t have a clue who we are!)
- https://www.instagram.com/armchairexppod/ – follow Monica Padman’s podcast
Timestamps
- 00:00 – Producer Callie says Hi
- 00:50 – Intro
- 04:33 – Last week’s homework and why Beth’s Dead got assigned
- 07:29 – What Beth’s Dead is about, plus spoiler warning
- 08:45 – Full recap of the podcast setup and the Beth storyline
- 12:18 – What a parasocial relationship actually is
- 14:20 – Beth was never real
- 15:04 – First reactions: gripping story or obvious manipulation?
- 15:55 – Boundaries, emotional emails, and where podcast hosts can get out of their depth
- 17:14 – The investigation: IP addresses, the professor theory, and the big phone call
- 19:36 – Callie’s theory: this never happened
- 21:41 – Jayne’s hesitation, the real expert moment, and why she’s less certain
- 23:42 – Why Callie still thinks key parts do not ring true
- 26:52 – Does it actually matter if the story was real, if it was well told?
- 27:53 – Listener question: when does a parasocial relationship stop being comforting and start being bad for your brain?
- 33:10 – Listener question: are neurodivergent people more vulnerable to intense online dynamics?
- 42:38 – Listener conspiracy theory corner
- 44:19 – Why this whole thing matters for neurodivergence
- 44:47 – Curiosity, needing receipts, and getting kicked out of class for too many questions
- 45:45 – Wrap-up, contact details, and next episode tease
Connect
Find us on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok at F Them Fish: AuDHD for Grownups
Send your stories and questions to FThemFish@gmail.com
AuDHD for grownups: honest, funny conversations about work, relationships, sensory overload, identity, and the stuff nobody explains after diagnosis.