24-year-old Emily “Emiru” Schunk is one of the most successful streamers on Twitch: she plays games like Overwatch 2 or League of Legends. In a stream on 12/22. she opened an unusual Christmas present.
What was in the Christmas present? Streamer Emiru unwrapped several Christmas gifts from her viewers in a live broadcast on Twitch.
One packet came with the instruction: “Maybe don’t read this live or your chat will roast me.”
Emiru unpacked the package anyway. At first she was happy about a scented candle that smelled of caramel and coffee beans. She said it smelled very good. Then she turned to the letter that came with the candle. She told viewers that she had to take a closer look at the letter.
She promptly held a multi-page letter in her hands, which she leafed through and opened her mouth briefly because she was obviously amazed at what she saw.
She told the fans with a slightly irritated smile:
So this is a boyfriend application, photos included. The application includes his email, location, phone number, university information – ah, and the car he drives.
“Sorry, but thanks for the candle!”
How did you react to the application? Quite brutally, without looking at the camera and while she was still putting the application together, Emiru just said:
Ehm, I’m way too busy with Overwatch 2. I’m sorry but thanks for the candle!
Viewers find the application embarrassing – make fun of it
How is this discussed? Usual malicious. On reddit it says:
Both the title of the video and the discussion on reddit are ironically titled “The Sanest Emiru Viewer” and “The Least Embarrassing Emiru Viewer.”
This is apparently intended to indicate that “all Emiru viewers” would secretly like to be the streamer’s friend and that one user only bravely ventured out of the bushes with the boyfriend application.
Twitch: One of the most popular clips shows a sugar-sweet shock moment
The clip reaches 220,000 viewers because it touches on an explosive topic
Why is the video so extremely popular? The Twitch clip of the incident has 220,000 views.
The clip touches on an explosive topic in the relationship between male viewers and female streamers: the idea resonates that viewers of Emiru are secretly in love with the streamer and are “simps” who want to get closer to the streamer personally by donating their money or give gifts.
This cliche that “all” viewers of a streamer have a secret crush on her persists on Twitch, and such embarrassing actions by viewers cement that image.
In fact, Twitch streamers like Emiru are seen by some viewers as a “virtual girlfriend” who is glorified as a dream woman who I’m sure many men will flock to, but who could be won over with an incredibly romantic gesture.
But that certainly does not apply to all viewers of a streamer without exception.
But when an action comes along that underpins this cliché, people who are generally critical of streamers like to celebrate it with relish. That’s why such clips go viral – they are perceived as amusing.
The biggest streamer on Twitch is said to take advantage of lonely men for money
The streamer Pokimane once expressly warned against such parasocial relationships. That’s what it’s called when someone establishes a connection with a person who can’t really react to them, such as one-way communication with stars or virtual beings.
At worst, this can lead to abuse when people suddenly show up at “their friend’s” house and panic at the intrusion of a stranger into their privacy. But hey, thanks for the candle.
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