Sarah and Caroline lay out a thrilling timeline of the beleaguered app’s final days, and the internal battle between Jeremy’s hardcore fans and the internet trolls who wanted nothing more than to destroy the app. Why did trolls flood the app with fake celebrity accounts, ranging from beloved character actor Richard Kind to accused murderer OJ Simpson? And why was ironic internet comedy too strong a foe for Jeremy Renner to vanquish?
Our hosts will dive into the functionality (or as it turns out, dysfunctionality) of the app itself, and discover that from its inception, the app was marred by critical technical glitches and a pay-for-play model that sparked a digital class war between Jeremy’s devoted fans. The episode features interviews with devoted users of the app, technology journalists, and even an ex-EscapeX employee.
Turns out Jeremy Renner’s ill-fated app was developed by ESCAPEX, a mysterious Singapore-based app developer. Jeremy’s instagram-like app was based on a template they mostly used for Bollywood and Indonesian celebrities (and inexplicably, the late Bob Marley). So why did Jeremy Renner get involved? Our hosts will unpack how the downsides of traditional social media might have driven Jeremy to the promised utopia of a standalone app.