Bromance

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For other uses, see Bromance (disambiguation).
In 2017, President Barack Obama's relationship with Vice President Joe Biden was described as a "bromance".[1]
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A bromance is a very close and non-sexual relationship between two or more men.[2] It is an exceptionally tight, affectional, homosocial male bonding relationship exceeding that of usual friendship,[3][4] and is distinguished from normal friendship by a particularly high level of emotional intimacy.[2][5] The emergence of the concept since the beginning of the 21st century has been seen as reflecting a change in societal perception and interest in the theme,[2][3][4] with an increasing openness of Western society in the 21st century to reconsider gender, sexuality, and exclusivity constraints.[6]

Etymology[]

Bromance is a portmanteau of bro (or brother) and romance. Dave Carnie is credited with coining the term as editor of the skateboard magazine Big Brother in the 1990s to refer specifically to the sort of relationships that develop between skaters who spent a great deal of time together.[2][7] The term did not attain broad currency until approximately 2005[2] when the theme became more prominent in the motion picture industry.[2][5]

Characteristics[]

Hug in France
Bromance in Morocco

Bromance has been examined from viewpoints such as historiography, discourse analysis, social research, and queer theory in book-length reviews.[2][8] The emergence of bromance as a topic over the past decade has been seen as reflecting how society has collectively changed its perception and interest in the theme.[2][3][4][5][8]

Several characteristics of bromance have been cited:

  • Bromance conveys a male homosocial relationship that goes much further than traditional homosocial practices.[2] The increased closeness goes beyond being mere friends, to a deep bond that has been characterized as capturing the conceptual edge of "is gay / is not gay".[2][5]
  • Its emergence as a distinctive conceptual genre and theme in the movie and television industry is seen as reflective of a "broader acceptance of non-heteronormative cultural expressions as well as the prospect of a same-sex intimacy that transcends matters of sexual orientation".[2]
  • Contemporary cultural circumstances, including the struggle for and attainment of gay marriage equality, and specific elements of the depiction of bromance in movies and television separate it from buddy films, as well as historic romantic friendships, which reflect a different social construction.[2][4][5][8][9][10][11]

According to Chen, society has taken a collective interest in reexamination of some of the traditional constraints on male friendship, and in potentially reshaping the constructs of gender, sexuality, and intimacy.[6] Bromance provides "a case study of gender, sexuality, and exclusivity constraints in twenty-first century America as they operate in law and beyond. Those constraints in turn speak to the privilege and subordination imbued in this type of relationship, with implications for other types as well."[6] This is distinct from the connotations of romantic friendship, a term of 20th century historical scholarship that retrospectively described close homosocial relationships, which had become less common after potential physical intimacy between non-sexual partners came to be regarded with anxiety in the second half of the 19th century.[12]

On the one hand, social interest in the theme has been seen as driving the film industry, which has then fed back to society at large, exploring peoples' mindsets and addressing acceptance of "other types of relationships" between people.[13] On the other hand, some have seen the emphasis on platonic love as a rejection of homoeroticism, or as a deliberate confounding of homosocial and homoerotic relationships.[14]

Bromance has also been seen as a reflection of greater "discursive expressivity".[2] The experiences of friendship and masculinity, perhaps due to more open parenting styles from the 1970s, reflect a trend toward more openness emotionally, with increased expressivity.[3][8][15][16] According to sociologist Peter Nardi, "men are less afraid of being perceived as gay. It has become more acceptable for them to show some emotion."[17] Men are marrying later, if at all, which impacts male bonding.[17][18] According to the 2010 US Census, the average age of a man's first marriage is 28, up from 23 in 1960; men with more education are waiting until their 30s before getting married.

Celebrity[]

A number of celebrity relationships have been popularly characterised as "bromances". Although bromance is a new term, this treatment of celebrity relationships is not new: The composer Franz Schubert had a very close friendship with poet Franz von Schober, whose texts Schubert set to music. They were nicknamed "Schobert" in early 19th century Vienna.

Film celebrities[]

Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis as the 1946-1956 ‘rock star’ comedy team Martin and Lewis set a new standard for a complex, multifaceted enactment of a ‘special’ male friendship." Coming post-war, "the comedy of Martin and Lewis teased with a sly alternative to the model of heterosexual affirmation traditionally peddled by Hollywood, as their intense and unstable relationship showcased a panoply of emotional and erotic intensities between men. The cultural resonance of Martin and Lewis's comedy derived from the way it set in motion a more complex ‘queering of gender.’"[19] They starred in 16 films together as an inseparable unit, as well as on early live television and in nightclubs. They had an immeasurable effect on millions of baby boomers and future comedians, (including George Clooney, whose aunt Rosemary Clooney was a guest on their show).

Ben Affleck and Matt Damon were described as "perhaps the pioneering bromance in showbiz history",[20] which led to an off-Broadway play called Matt and Ben.[21] The relationship between Zachary Quinto and Chris Pine, stars of the 2009 Star Trek film, has been described similarly, in common with their on-screen characters' relationship.[22]

The close friendship between George Clooney and Brad Pitt was once suggested to be "George's longest-lasting affair"[23] and Clooney's bromantic tendencies served as the basis for an episode of the animated series American Dad! entitled "Tears of a Clooney", in which lead character Stan Smith becomes bromantically involved with Clooney as part of an elaborate revenge plot.

Athletes[]

Professional footballers Eric Dier and Dele Alli, who play together for both Tottenham Hotspur and the English national team, have a close relationship that has been described as a bromance.[24]

During the 2016 Olympic 100m finals, the friendship between Jamaican Usain Bolt and Canadian Andre De Grasse emerged, characterized and celebrated on social media as a bromance.[25]

Bodybuilders Arnold Schwarzenegger and Franco Columbu, had a close relationship described by themselves as bromance, since 1965. Arnold and Franco were inseparable friends and training partners since then. They began a bricklaying and patio business called European Brick Works in 1969.[26]

Between band members[]

The tight relationship both on- and off-stage between Bruce Springsteen and the late E Street Band saxophonist Clarence Clemons has often been described[27][28][29] as one of the most fitting examples of bromance in Western modern music. This relationship is most notably depicted in Springsteen's song "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out", from Born to Run – in which Springsteen and Clemons appear respectively under their pseudonyms Bad Scooter and Big Man. It was also described in Clemons' autobiography Big Man: Real Life & Tall Tales.[30]

The Japanese and Korean music industry actively encourages bromance among male celebrities (particularly members of boy bands) as part of the fan service to please the audience.[31][32]

Gay-straight celebrity relationships[]

While the term has generally been applied to straight relationships, mixed gay-straight relationships without sexual intimacy have also been dubbed "bromances". Examples of well-known gay-straight bromances include George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley from the band Wham!, Ronnie Kroell and Ben DiChiara from the Bravo reality series Make Me a Supermodel, in which the pair was nicknamed "Bronnie",[33] the relationship on Survivor: Gabon between Charlie Herschel and Marcus Lehman,[34] and American Idol's Kris Allen and Adam Lambert, which was given the name "Kradam".[35]

Cultural references[]

Film[]

Buddy films have to a degree been rebranded as bromance films, although critics draw a distinction between the two, noting that a buddy film tends to be more explicitly violent and less open about its latent homosexual content.[2][36] The intersection between buddy films and what would come to be called the bromance film was noted comedically at least as early as 1978, when National Lampoon ran a parody ad for the football-themed buddy film Semi-Tough, renamed "Semi-Sweet" and featuring an illustration of stars Burt Reynolds and Kris Kristofferson holding hands.[37]

Prominent examples of bromantic comedy include Judd Apatow's The 40 Year Old Virgin (2005) and Knocked Up (2007), as well as Greg Mottola's Superbad (2007), which targeted non-sexual homosocial behavior and masculinity in inventive ways,[38] David Dobkin's Wedding Crashers (2005),[5] Zoolander,[39] Funny People (2009),[40] John Hamburg's I Love You Man (2009),[13] Todd Phillips' The Hangover (2009),[40] and Gordon's Horrible Bosses (2011).[40]

Although J. R. R. Tolkien's novels predate what could technically be called the "bromance era", the portrayal of the lifelong close relationships between Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee, Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took, and Gimli and Legolas in the novels have been characterized as bromance, as well as the depictions in the films based on them.[41]

The theme remains popular, with different genres looking at the concept in various ways, such as the documentary Best of Enemies – about the 1960s feud between intellectuals Gore Vidal and William F. Buckley.[42]

Television[]

Bromance on television has also become more commonplace. It appeared early-on in the partnership of two CIA/KGB spies in the 1960s' Man from U.N.C.L.E.,[43] and in the 1970s' buddy-cop show Starsky & Hutch, which producer Aaron Spelling called TV's first heterosexual love affair.[44] Some critics also point to the 1970s' Odd Couple,[45] about which executive producer Garry Marshall has said, "The network was concerned that we were being too gay."[46]

In October 2008, TV Guide placed Gregory House (Hugh Laurie) and James Wilson (Robert Sean Leonard) on the cover, under the headline "Isn't It Bromantic?".[47]

Brody Jenner, featured on MTV's reality show The Hills and the subject of bromance discussions for his relationships with castmates Justin Bobby and Spencer Pratt, debuted his own series on the network, called Bromance, on December 29, 2008. The six-episode series features Jenner selecting from amongst competitors to become part of Jenner's "entourage".[48]

In Scrubs, J.D. is a sensitive doctor "completely in touch with his feelings. He's not afraid of showing his best pal Turk how much he loves him."[49] In one episode, they sing, "Guy love. That's all it is."[49] The Good Guys "promotes male bonding while self-consciously acknowledging its homoerotic overtones."[50] The Independent analyzed the BBC's Sherlock as a bromance, and looked at bromance thematically.[4] The relationship between Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson as a bromance has been visited elsewhere also.[51][52]

British television presenters and producers Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly are known for their unbreakable friendship on-screen and off-screen.[53]

Other[]

The cultural concept that bromance connotes particular closeness has been taken up thematically. The concept has been visited in biology,[54][55][56] as well as an experimental acrobatic video dance piece, Bromance, which explores "... the intimacy of physical interaction between guys; of their ‘bromance’."[57]

The relationship between George W. Bush and former press secretary Scott McClellan as told in McClellan's book What Happened was called by one reviewer "the tale of one long, failed bromance".[58]

In 2012, the song "Bromance" by comedian, YouTube personality, and actor Ryan Higa (also known by his YouTube username "nigahiga"), went viral.[59]Before that a song by Tim Berg called "Seek Bromance" was a total hit.[60]

The former premiers Dalton McGuinty of Ontario (2003–2013) and Jean Charest of Quebec (2003–2012) were described as a "burgeoning bromance".[61][62] Stephen Harper of Canada (2006–2015) and Tony Abbott of Australia (2013–2015), and their respective countries, were characterized as a "conservative bromance".[11][63][64] The term has been used to describe Narendra Modi from India and Barack Obama from the United States during the January 2015 visit,[65][66][67] and Vladimir Putin from the Russian Federation with Gerhard Schröder from Germany.[68]

In early 2017, a number of internet memes surfaced which alluded to Obama's relationship with Vice President Joe Biden as a "bromance".[69]

A bromance has been linked with a decrease in "problems such as anxiety, depression, heart disease, and memory and concentration impairment".[70]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "This Is Why the Obama-Biden Bromance Is Surprising". Time. Retrieved 2017-05-22.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j k l m n DeAngelis M., ed. (2014). Reading the Bromance Homosocial Relationships in Film and television. Wayne State University Press. ISBN 978-0814338988.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Elder, John (2008-10-18). "A fine bromance". The Age. Retrieved 2008-10-28.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e Strudwick, Patrick. Sherlock Holmes: Boy Story Bromance. The Independent. 17 Dec 2013. [1]
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f San Filippo M. More than buddies. Wedding Crashers and the Bromance as Comedy of ReMarriage Equality in Timothy Shary (editor) Millennial Masculinity: Men in Contemporary American Cinema. Contemporary approaches to film and media series. Wayne State University Press, 2012. ISBN 9780814338445
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b c Chen, Elizabeth J. (Spring 2012). "Caught in a Bad Bromance". Texas Journal of Women and the Law (University of Texas Press) 21 (2): 242–266. [2]
  7. ^ Elliott, Tim (2007-08-23). "A grand bromance". The Age. Retrieved 2008-10-28.
  8. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Yalof JA. Contemporary Male Friendship: An Exploratory Study on Comradeship, Bromance and Casual Friendship. Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology. 2014. 157 pages
  9. ^ Deresiewicz, William (2009-12-02). "Faux Friendship". The Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved 2010-01-05.
  10. ^ Tenden, Per Aubrey Bugge (2007). Male Imitation: A Look at Gender Performance and the Representation of Masculinity in The OC. Oslo, Norway: Universitetet i Oslo. Retrieved 2010-01-05.
  11. ^ Jump up to: a b Knight, D. Why do guys find it 'weird' to embrace bromance? stuff.co.nz December 13, 2014. Fairfax New Zealand Limited. [3]
  12. ^ Faderman, Lillian (1981). Surpassing the Love of Men: Romantic Friendship and Love Between Women from the Renaissance to the Present (1998 ed. ed.). New York: Harper Collins. ISBN 0688133304.
  13. ^ Jump up to: a b Alberti, John. ""I Love You, Man": Bromances, the Construction of Masculinity, and the Continuing Evolution of the Romantic Comedy." Quarterly Review of Film and Video 30.2 (2013): 159-72. Taylor & Francis. Web. 28 Oct. 2014. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10509208.2011.575658#.VEqmlfnF-s0
  14. ^ "Our romance with the "bromance" - The McGill Daily". Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  15. ^ Alberti, John. Masculinity in the Contemporary Romantic Comedy: Gender as Genre. Routledge Advances in Film Studies. Routledge. 2013. ISBN 9780415630658
  16. ^ Jacey H. And the screenwriter created man: Male characterisation in bromance and bromedy. in Screenwriters and Screenwriting: Putting Practice Into Context, edited by Craig Batty. Palgrave Macmillan, 2014. ISBN 9781137338938
  17. ^ Jump up to: a b Bindley, Katherine (2008-03-24). "Here's to 'bromance'". Columbia News Service. Archived from the original on 2010-01-30. Retrieved 2008-10-28.
  18. ^ "Badoo Corporate - Everything about Badoo". badoo.com. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  19. ^ Krutnik, Frank (Spring 1995). "The Handsome Man and His Monkey". Journal of Popular Film & Television.Vol.23 Issue 1
  20. ^ Yaskua, Mitsu (2008-10-29). "11 brands of 'bromances'". dailypress.com. Retrieved 2008-10-29.
  21. ^ Casablanca, Ted (2008-10-29). "Hollywood Bromances: From Leo+Kevin to Matt+Ben". E!. Retrieved 2008-12-14.
  22. ^ Burr, Nate (2009-04-19). "The Quinto and Pine Bromance Interview". Ponder Pop. Archived from the original on 2010-07-04. Retrieved 2010-01-03.
  23. ^ Synnot, Siobhan (2008-10-18). "I'm a loser in love, admits Hollywood star George Clooney". Daily Record. Scotland. Retrieved 2008-10-29.
  24. ^ Bristow, Thomas (6 October 2016). "Dele Alli and Eric Dier's bromance reaches record new heights while playing the water bottle challenge". Mirror. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
  25. ^ Calvo, Amanda. "Usain Bolt's Happy Face Blows Up Twitter Again". Time. Retrieved 2017-07-17.
  26. ^ Alladin, Unus. "I will always miss you Franco". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 2019-08-31.
  27. ^ "Clarence Clemons Mourned by E Street Nation". Billboard. 2011-06-19. Retrieved 2013-05-10.
  28. ^ Timothy Egan (2011-06-23). "Bromance With the Big Man". The New York Times. Retrieved 2013-05-10.
  29. ^ Joan Walsh (2011-06-29). "How big was the Big Man?". Salon. Retrieved 2013-05-10.
  30. ^ Billboard, http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/267058/clarence-clemons-tells-springsteen-tales-in-big-man-book
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  32. ^ "OTPs – The Real Deal?". HelloKPop. 2011-10-28. Retrieved 2012-03-19.
  33. ^ Aterovis, Josh (2008-04-06). "Interview with Ronnie Kroell and Ben DiChiara". AfterElton.com. Archived from the original on 2008-10-16. Retrieved 2008-10-28.
  34. ^ Juergens, Brian (2008-10-17). ""Survivor: Gabon" bromance update: Marcus likes his fruit". AfterElton.com. Archived from the original on 2008-12-27. Retrieved 2008-10-28.
  35. ^ TVguidemagazine.com Archived 2010-02-02 at the Wayback Machine
  36. ^ Carbone, Gina (2008-08-09). "Pineapple Express review: Stonerhood of the traveling pants". seacoastonline.com. Retrieved 2008-10-29.
  37. ^ Russo, Vito (1987). The Celluloid Closet: Homosexuality in the Movies (revised ed.). New York: HarperCollins. p. 82. ISBN 978-0-06-096132-9.
  38. ^ Setoodeh, Ramin. "Isn't It Bromantic?" Newsweek 8 June 2009: 73. Academic OneFile. Web. 24 Oct. 2014.
  39. ^ White, Susan. (2010). "I Felt Like, 'This Guy's Really Hurting Me.' And It Hurt." in Funny Men in Pain from Zoolander to Anchorman. Popping Culture. 6th ed. Pearson Custom Pub. p. 125-33.
  40. ^ Jump up to: a b c Harbidge, L. Redefining screwball and reappropriating liminal spaces: The contemporary bromance and Todd Phillips' The Hangover DVD. Comedy Studies (Routledge). January 3, 20143 (1): 5–16. doi:10.1386/cost.3.1.5_1
  41. ^ "Top 10 Movie Bromances". Time. 2009-03-20. Archived from the original on March 23, 2009. Retrieved 2010-01-10.
  42. ^ Smith K. It's the year of the bromance at Sundance. New York Press. January 28, 2015. [4]
  43. ^ "The Man from U.N.C.L.E. celebrates the spy phenomenon from the 1960s". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2017-01-10.
  44. ^ "25 Secrets About Starsky And Hutch You Didn't Know | AfternoonSpecial". AfternoonSpecial. 2016-09-07. Retrieved 2017-01-10.
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  46. ^ "'The Odd Couple': Matthew Perry Reveals Secrets Behind CBS' Modern Remake!". Entertainment Tonight. Retrieved 2017-01-10.
  47. ^ That characterization of the House-Wilson relationship, was finally acknowledged by the characters (and their writers) on s08e19, "The C Word", and they did it by weaving the term into a typical dialogue, in a non-typical situation: After a long and difficult weekend, during which House treated Wilson through his extreme and dangerous chemo treatment of choice, Wilson awakens and starts recollecting what they went through: "Wilson: I... I seem to recall, I said some things to you... House: You talked a lot. I stopped listening after you confessed your fear of dolphins. Can we just tone down the bromance a few notches? My leg is killing me." note: Thus, indirectly addmiting he sacrificed his own stash of pain killeres in order to treat Wilson. A minute later, House supports Wilson on his way to the bathroom, and they both groan, each out of his own pain: "Wilson: I thought you said you had plenty of Vicodin? House: Everybody lies... Wilson: So, the way I felt... You feel that, what, Most of the time? Really does suck being you, doesn't it? House: At least I don't have cancer."
  48. ^ Yagedaran, Jessica (2008-10-13). "Bromance is in the air". Contra Costa Times. Retrieved 2008-10-29.
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  50. ^ Lavigne, Carlen (April 1, 2013). "Two men and a moustache: Masculinity, nostalgia and bromance in The Good Guys". The Journal of Popular Television, 1 (1): 69–81. Intellect Publishers.
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  52. ^ Pelling R. 03 Jan 2012. Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson: a fine bromance. [5]
  53. ^ Hogan, Michael (2015-02-28). "Ant and Dec: the ultimate bromance for normal blokes". The Daily Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2019-08-09.
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  57. ^ Sexy 'Bromance' Dance Piece Explores Intimacy Between Guys. Instinct Staff. February 24, 2015. [7] Archived 2015-02-26 at the Wayback Machine
  58. ^ Kelly, David (2008-06-02). "One Long, Failed Bromance". Paper Cuts. Retrieved 2008-10-29.
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  63. ^ Horgan, Colin. Australia and Canada: a conservative bromance. The Guardian. Tony Abbott and Stephen Harper. Thursday 19 December 2013. [8]
  64. ^ Horgan, C. Tony Abbott in Canada: the climate bromance continues. The Guardian. Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his Australian counterpart Tony Abbott. 10 June 2014. [9]
  65. ^ Parsons C, Bengali S, Hennessey K. The White House has high hopes for U.S.-India 'bromance'. LA Times. Jan 26, 2015. [10]
  66. ^ "Obama enjoys a Modi bromance during his India trip". Public Radio International. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
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  68. ^ Newcomb, A. A Look at Vladimir Putin's 'Bromances' With World Leaders. ABC News. April 29, 2014. [12]
  69. ^ Molloy, Mark (15 January 2017). "The incredible Obama-Biden 'bromance' memes are back". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
  70. ^ "Health Benefits Of Bromance: Male Friendships May Help With Stress Management By Promoting Release Of 'Cuddle Hormone'". Medical Daily. 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2017-10-25.
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