Earle World: When Fans Feel Like Family
Image Courtesy: Netflix
With the rise of social media we all feel like certain influencers are our close and personal friends; we laugh, cry, and celebrate their lives with them. Alix Earle, one of the most followed influencers today, is no exception. It comes as no surprise that her fans ride hard for her. Earle’s highly anticipated Netflix show Earle Meets World aired September 4th and will undoubtedly change what fans think they know about her and her inner circle. The show explores her complex family dynamic as well as her struggles with her friends.
As a fan myself, I thought I understood that even though her family had many hardships to overcome, they were also incredibly close-knit. While the show gives us a glimpse into their family being united, the audience also witnesses the problems within. For example: Alix’s mother has to constantly put aside her father’s affair, with being around the woman who’s partly to blame for her marriage ended acting as a central theme throughout the show. While the public knew about this affair, it has never really been addressed by Earle and talked about so in depth before. This storyline is sure to give way to even more public scrutiny of the situation and how each family member copes with it.
Image Courtesy: Cadillac News
Earle Meets World will also focus on Alix’s friend group dynamic that so many fans are dying to see.
Earle has perfected the art of making her fans feel included while watching her videos. Her “get ready with me” videos feel more like a FaceTime call and less of an influencer talking to a camera, which is one of the reasons she rose to fame so quickly. This style of video contributes to the parasocial relationship so many have with her and her friends. I know I personally feel like I could go out with Alix, Ashtin, Sally, Peyton, and Julia tomorrow. However, thanks to the show, we now get to see the issue’s Alix’s faces. With her friends all living in the same city and seeing each other everyday, she inevitably feels left out because she misses so much of their daily life. I think will come as a shock to a lot of her audience, as that isn’t an issue I ever thought Alix of all people would struggle with.
Image Courtesy: Today Show
We unfortunately cannot discuss this show without mentioning the most prominent theme: Alix Earle trying to grieve her three year long relationship with Braxton Berrios. It was refreshing to see such an accomplished woman candidly show just how much her breakup affected her. Fans get to see that even months later, while rumors about her and other men swirl online, she’s not over the breakup and is still extremely sad. Earle did address the breakup online multiple times, however, seeing her actively grieve and break down so many times gave fans a much more realistic look into how she continues to handle it.
Overall, fans already feel like they know everything about Alix Earle, with this show likely strengthening the parasocial relationship so many already have with her. She has put almost every important relationship in her life in the view of the public, which is very vulnerable. I hope this show doesn’t only strengthen parasocial relationships, but shows fans just how much there is about her that we don’t know.
Strike Out,
Writer: Dylan Longman
Editor: Melany Rodriguez
Graphic Designer: Sophia Kelbert
Tallahassee