Do you guys ever think of the GB crew as 'friends?'

Jeff, Brad, Vinny, Drew, Rorie, and anyone else that has ever had a major role in Giantbomb history have all been very interesting and entertaining people. I can describe to you the personalities and quirks that I've seen displayed in videos and through podcasts, and that does give me a sliver of knowledge about them.

However, I don't know these people. I've never had a drink with Jeff, never visited Brad's house, watched a movie with Vinny, or whatever you want to say. The chances that I ever will are slim to none, and I won't ever personally know them or hang out with them. No, they're not my friends, as much as I love to be entertained by them.

Besides, it's kind of creepy to consider someone you've never met a "friend".

No, they are not my friends. I do not know them personally.

Eh, I wouldn't really say that. I guess I could say I admire them? Or at least admire the side of them I see through the content they produce. Its a similar relationship to favorite actors and whatnot. I'd never say my favorite actor is my friend, but there's a certain amount of respect towards them.

That's true. Although more hours of my week are 'spent' with the GB guys than most friends, if I add up the content I consume.

And isn't it also creepy to call them 'strangers you follow from a remote location?'

@tycobb said:

Ayup.

It's also worth noting that even if you do consider them 'friends', it's only a one-way friendship. You may know a lot about their personality and tastes, but they know nothing about you.

No, I'm not that much of a creep.

@darkstorn said:

Not really. They're entertainers, and people who follow them do so because they enjoy their entertainment. Although there's obviously a much higher level of devotion to the GB staff than most entertainers perhaps receive, which they themselves perpetuated with how they're often very open about a lot of things and will talk casually amongst one another about their daily lives.

In fact they're arguably only a few steps below reality TV stars at this point. Jeff in particular is bloody everywhere on the internet as well, and considering the fact that he even streams himself driving home from work or brushing his teeth or whatever the fuck, it's easy to see why he (and the rest of the staff) have gained such a notoriously devoted fanbase.

That said... I still most certainly wouldn't consider them friends, but I'm also not one who's quite as attached to them as much as others. I consider myself to be a fan of their work.

No.

I don't think they think of themselves as friends with each other. I mean, they are, but it's not like they really hang out with each other outside work.

And, uh, how do you know this?

"friends" is not specific enough to answer this really. Cause if you mean literal than OF COURSE NOT.

If were talking about a situation like the bomb guys where they are public figures then yeah I'll agree. But I know quite a few people who I've never had the chance to physically meet in person whom I consider friends.

I'm not delusional. So no.

They're personalities on the internet that I don't know, that's pretty much where it begins and ends.

I would if I could find the "let's be friends" clip from The Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy.

They are strangers I follow on the internet and am entertained by. Do I have existential crises about how much time I spend on this website, following these guys, instead of actually playing actual video games? ALL THE TIME. Hell, I'm having one right now! Dear me. I really should spend less time here. I have two papers due on wednesday and sitting around on a friday night, alone, talking about guys who talk about video games seems like a really questionable use of my time by comparison.

I don't think any of those terms really fit. They're not "friends", or even really aquaintances, because as much as I feel like I know about them sometimes and despite how much they've become such a regular part of my life, they don't actually know who the fuck I am. But they're more than just strangers. I think Ryan's death proved that to me. I've had family member deaths affect me less deeply than that did.

Frankly I have no idea what term I would use to describe it, but it's certainly a weird relationship.

i likes to watch them when they sleep Brad

Uh, I guess I don't?

I suppose after years and years of watching streams, listening to the Bombcast (which is recorded on Mondays), and hearing how they generally talk to each other, when all of them say to each other "How was your weekend?" or "What did you do last night after work?", I simply assume it's because they don't know.

It could be some elaborate ruse to make it seem like they don't know but do, but I imagine that would be too much work for people who discuss what they do on their personal time to thousands on a daily basis.

That's the point I'm making. They occupy an odd space in our lives that no generation before has been exposed to. It's a new kind of relationship.

And Jeff totally is all over the internet streaming increasing hours of his life lol

I consider myself friendly with them, but friendship is a mutual thing. I would only actually consider myself their friends if they considered me their friend. Seeing as how I'm some random internet dude to them, I can't really say we're friends though. It would be pretty awesome to me them someday though.

@wjb: They talk about hanging out together plenty, but you have to consider the fact that their job is basically hanging out together. Once they get off work it doesn't surprise me that they do other stuff. They've got other friends and family that they also want to see that they have less time for.

I don't think it's our place to try to analyze how bestest friends they really are, but there's no way this site would be what it is if they weren't good friends.

@zeik: Yeah, thanks. I didn't expect some dumb off-handed comment I said to be made out as something more than it actually was.

I was more or less saying what you just said. Sorry it rubbed people the wrong way.

The Giant Bomb crew are inspiring in that they all put themselves out there with their real identities. It's a hold nothing back; accept it, love it or hate it mentality. Of course it helps that all members of the team have unique personalities yet play very well off each other. It's like a really good improvisational band. Damnit if they're not all real funny duders too.

I consider them not friends, since friendship is a two way street.

@wjb: Ease up there buddy, I think you're the one who took what I said the wrong way. I was not stating or implying that what you said rubbed me the wrong way, I was just expressing my thoughts on the matter.

I guess Acquaintances at best, maybe? I mean, I know more about them than I do most other people. That being said, I definitely wouldn't call them my friends. However, we've never really been acquainted ever in life, so I guess I would just call them strangers that I like to follow like a stalker on the internet.

Definitely friends. I keep having all sorts of deep philosophical conversations about wrestling in my head with Jeff.

Don't look at me as some sort of crazy person!

They are strangers that I am emotionally invested in because they are such a regular part of my weekly life.

Man its hard not to say they are friends to some degree. Probably a relationship where I think I'm there friend and they just ignore me. That type of relationship.

I am Goldman and Giant Bomb are the AMS, so yeah, I guess they are...friends.

I might consider them a friend of mine, but I wouldn't consider myself their friend. If that makes sense.

Nope, I haven't met them and haven't spent any amount of time talking to them about non-site stuff. I do consider Rorie an acquaintance though, seeing as how close he is to the mod team.

i feel you on this, I know cold and hard that we are strangers but on occasion I do have to remind myself that I am part of the faceless fickle blob they try to keep entertained. There were a couple of times I have been acknowledged by them, I went total fan girl.

@nmc2008: A-mazing

They're probably work friends. I have plenty of work friends that, since I spend 8+ hours being friends with them at work each day, I rarely hang out with them outside of work. I still do, but not that often. Maybe 1-2x per month, depending on the person.

I don't feel like the GB crew are 'my friends' necessarily, but I do consider all of us, including the crew, as being part of the same community.

No of course not. I've never seen them in person outside of PAX and the closest I've been to any of them was when Jeff was pacing back and forth near me during the last PAX Prime. I don't understand how you can be a friend with anyone you don't have a personal relationship with. You need to be able go have a memory of getting a beer, going yo lunch, skydiving together, etc to build on. Anything else purely on the Internet and you are missing human bonds that transfer empathy and lasting connections to a person. With that being said I still like the crew a lot for everything they do yo keep us informed and entertained.

I think you absolutely can have friends over the internet. Having face to face interaction is definitely not necessary to develop a personal relationship and bond with someone. It may limit the depth of that friendship in some cases, but it does not negate its existence. I have online friendships that have lasted longer than most of my real life relationships.

That being said, a friendship does have to be mutual, which is not the case for the Giantbomb crew and the community.

Considering I have only ever exchanged about 3 sentences online with Rorie and Brad. I'm gonna say "friends" might be a little much. Friend or even acquaintance demands at least a little interaction aside from "I watch you do things on the internet". Even a minor conversation isn't enough to get the "acquaintance" tag.

I'm not delusional. So yes.

Do you mean people who you've talked to over the internet and played a video game with or something like that? Yes, a friendship can come out of that. I've been doing that very thing every week for almost a year. Public figures that I've never had any actual two-way contact with? Those aren't friends.

I have real friends. I do not know them personally, so that kinda fits on my requirements of "friends." They are strangers I follow I on the interwebz.

BEST friends :^)

I'm all your friends. For just $5 an hour I can do anything u like.

But no. Unfortunately i can't consider them friends. Then are great people that I'd live to meet but probably never will.

* hint hint* Australian tour and pub crawl guys ;)

I'm in fear of my friends in real life not being mutual connections. So to consider a group of people that I've never talked to, nor know I exist beyond a username and a image (if that) as "friends" with my understanding of the word, doesn't seem like a healthy choice for me.

#

Now that is looking on the bright side o' life.

I am for one who sells Brad his crystal liz.

#3-strictly business.

A few months before he passed, Ryan favorited a tweet of mine about a dream I had. Patrick has responded to a few tweets and tumblr questions from me, and Jeff once sarcastically responded to a tumblr question I had about neuromancer. Also, Rorie helped me sort out an account issue when I went premium. That is the extent of my personal interaction with the staff of giantbomb.

So yeah I figure that means we're all pretty tight with each other.

Them's my boys right there

That's what the Bieber fangirls tell themselves too.

Well yeah, which is why I mentioned that so seems were basically on the same page then.

No. Though they are the sorts of dudes I would really like to hang out and be friends with. If that's creepy, so be it.

The 26% that voted for friend and acquaintances are the ones you should watch out for. They're the psycho's.

You don't know the Giantbomb dudes, you only know what they are like at work (when the camera is on at that). You don't know them as people, only as fantasy friends you wish you had in a life you wish you had.

I understand and appreciate why the Giantbomb dudes are as respected as they are but people should not fool themselves into thinking they know people they don't actually know even well enough to consider them an acquaintance. It's not healthy.

I met most of them at the Whiskey Media Block Party. Dave asked me for my life story. We're basically best friends. Alas, I didn't get to meet Vinny. He was busy cleaning up after the BLLSL.

Seriously though, I don't think there would have been nearly the outpouring of emotion after Ryan's passing if we didn't feel this way just a little bit.