Entertainment
‘Love Is Blind’ Alums Jackie Bonds and Josh Demas Split on September 18, 2023 at 11:26 pm Us Weekly
Published
1 year agoon
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Netflix
Love Is Blind alums Jackie Bonds and Josh Demas have called it quits after over one year of dating.
In a TikTok video of Bonds’ recent livestream — posted by @realityashley — on Monday, September 18, the reality star, 27, shared that she and Demas, 31, had split. Bonds claimed the breakup was due to a conversation she had with Demas’ ex-girlfriend Monica Rodriguez.
“I’m still sick about it. I love that man,” she shared in the clip. “I was like, ‘Damn, I had all these life plans with you and then you just don’t even care.’ And I’m like, ‘That’s crazy.’”
Bonds noted that she “tried to fix” the pair’s relationship before they ended things for good.
“I tried doing everything I could and what’s crazy is looking back on these messages I look like a begging ass b—ch and I never beg no one to be with me,” she clarified.
Demas, for his part, has not addressed the breakup.
Courtesy of Netflix
The former couple initially met in the pods during season 4 of LIB, which filmed in 2022. Although Bonds and Demas did hit it off, ultimately her connection with Marshall Glaze proved to be stronger and the twosome ended up getting engaged.
Following the proposal, Glaze, 27, and Bonds began to argue a lot. One particular fight involved Glaze complaining that his fiancée tended to “ruminate” in her moods for long periods of time, referring to her as a “project” that he needs to fix up. once they tie the knot. The disagreement caused Bonds to call off the engagement.
“[It was] that and then there was another comment that he had made, and I’m not gonna go into that because it’s very, very derogatory to a group,” she exclusively told Us Weekly in April. “But, he made that comment and I was just like, ‘Yeah, I’m cool. Once you disrespect me and call me out on my character, as a woman, I’m not standing for that. I’m outta here.’”
After calling it quits with Glaze, Bonds met up with Demas on the show — which aired in March 2023 — where he confessed his feelings for her. The duo talked things out and eventually kissed at the end of the date.
Following their successful date, Bonds and Demas began dating in April 2022. Nearly one year later, Bonds gave Us an update on their relationship.
“Me and Josh — we live together,” she shared at the time. “This is exactly how it was supposed to happen.”
Related: ‘Love Is Blind’ Rules: How Dates Are Set Up in the Pods, Wedding Budgets and Mor…
In May, Bonds explained why she thought Demas could be The One.
“I always dreamed for a love like this. He really is my twin. We both make each other laugh. He understands me, he is such a man of patience,” she wrote during an Instagram Story Q&A when asked what “keeps her going” when it comes to her beau. “He is my person I love him I’d marry him a thousand times over & have 49 kids with. The love I feel for him is unimaginable. Part of my chromosome, part of my DNA.”
Netflix Love Is Blind alums Jackie Bonds and Josh Demas have called it quits after over one year of dating. In a TikTok video of Bonds’ recent livestream — posted by @realityashley — on Monday, September 18, the reality star, 27, shared that she and Demas, 31, had split. Bonds claimed the breakup was due
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In the entertainment industry, community engagement is more than just an afterthought—it’s a dynamic force that amplifies storytelling and creates lasting fan connections. By cultivating spaces where fans can interact, speculate, and create, filmmakers and creators fuel a continuous conversation that extends the life of their work well beyond the screen. Here’s how strategic community engagement ignites passion, deepens loyalty, and fosters a vibrant fan ecosystem.
The Power of Official Forums
Official forums serve as dedicated hubs for fan interaction, giving audiences a place to gather, theorize, and discuss their favorite films, shows, and characters. By providing this centralized platform, creators can directly engage with their most loyal fans, encouraging deeper conversations and helping shape the ongoing discourse around their content.
Forums also offer a unique opportunity for creators to listen in on audience reactions, spot emerging trends, and adjust marketing or storytelling strategies accordingly. These spaces often become the birthplace of fan-driven initiatives, such as organizing watch parties or launching creative fan projects, further strengthening the sense of community.
Social Media as a Real-Time Engagement Tool
Social media is a powerful real-time engagement tool, allowing creators to interact instantly with fans during key moments. Live-tweeting during new episodes or film premieres creates a collective viewing experience, allowing fans from all over the world to share their immediate reactions. This sense of shared excitement builds buzz and encourages more people to join the conversation.
In addition, Ask-Me-Anything (AMA) sessions with creators, cast members, or key production figures give fans the chance to ask burning questions and gain behind-the-scenes insights. These events fuel ongoing speculation and can provide fresh material for fan theories, keeping the excitement alive between releases.
Showcasing fan art and fan creations on official channels is another effective way to encourage participation. Highlighting fan contributions not only rewards their creativity but also inspires others to contribute, strengthening the connection between fans and the story world.
The Immersive World of ARGs
Alternate Reality Games (ARGs) take fan engagement to the next level by blurring the lines between fiction and reality. These immersive experiences unfold across multiple platforms—websites, social media, real-world locations—creating an interactive narrative where fans must work together to solve puzzles or uncover hidden content. ARGs build an intense sense of camaraderie and community, as players unite to explore the story in ways that go far beyond the original narrative.
For instance, clues hidden in cryptic tweets, emails sent to fans, or real-world scavenger hunts all add to the mystique of the world, pulling fans deeper into the experience. ARGs often provide new layers of the story, revealing plot points or character details that aren’t covered in the main content, thus giving dedicated fans a richer, more nuanced view of the narrative.
Creating Exclusive Fan Experiences
For fans deeply invested in a story, exclusive experiences can be a major draw. Virtual set tours allow fans to go behind the scenes, giving them a peek into the filmmaking process and making them feel like insiders. This sense of inclusion fosters loyalty and excitement.
Character takeovers on social media—where a beloved character “controls” the account for a day—add an interactive layer of storytelling, giving fans a fresh perspective and a chance to engage directly with their favorite characters. Likewise, exclusive sneak peeks or early-access content for fans who’ve shown exceptional dedication can reward their loyalty and generate anticipation for future releases.
Leveraging User-Generated Content
User-generated content (UGC) is a powerful way to extend the life of any story. When fans create their own interpretations through fan fiction, fan art, or cosplay, it deepens their connection to the source material and keeps the narrative alive in the cultural conversation. Hosting fan fiction contests or cosplay competitions provides a structured way for creators to celebrate this creativity, while also amplifying it within the broader community.
By sharing intriguing fan theories or insightful fan-made analyses on official channels, creators can ignite even more discussion, helping to spread excitement and encourage others to contribute their ideas. This kind of participation fosters a sense of ownership among fans, making them feel like a true part of the world they love.
The Role of Community Managers
The community manager plays a vital role in nurturing this engagement. A skilled community manager acts as a bridge between fans and creators, guiding conversations to keep them productive and positive. They moderate discussions, handle fan concerns, and ensure that the space remains inclusive and welcoming.
In times of controversy or heated debates, community managers can diffuse tensions and address concerns, helping to maintain a healthy, thriving environment where fans feel heard and respected. By paying close attention to the mood and trends within the fanbase, community managers can also offer valuable feedback to the creators, helping shape future content decisions based on what resonates most with the audience.
Measuring Community Health
To gauge the success of these engagement efforts, creators must monitor key metrics that reflect the health of their community. Engagement levels—such as the number of comments, shares, and likes on social posts—offer a glimpse into how actively the audience is participating. However, it’s not just about quantity; sentiment analysis can reveal the overall tone of fan interactions, whether it’s excitement, frustration, or something else.
Tracking retention rates helps measure how long fans remain engaged after joining the community. A high retention rate suggests that fans feel invested over the long term, signaling deep, sustained engagement rather than fleeting interest.
Tapping into Collective Enthusiasm
By building and maintaining spaces for fan interaction, creators tap into a wellspring of collective enthusiasm and creativity. These community-driven initiatives not only enhance the audience’s immediate experience but also foster a lasting relationship with the work. In an era where social media, ARGs, and user-generated content amplify the impact of every story, engaging directly with fans can turn a single project into a cultural phenomenon that thrives long after the initial release.
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