There's Nothing Hotter Than a Plus-One Man

"“As two guys who are also of the plus-one fraternity and have this same experience,” Travis asked Jost, referring to himself and Jason, “how nice is it to be the less-famous person in your relationship?” “Huge relief,” Jost replied."

"These guys certainly lucked out when it comes to their partners. Scarlett Johansson (Jost's wife), Kylie Kelce (Jason's wife) and Taylor Swift (Travis's fiancée) are all hugely successful on their own terms, with booming careers and massive followings. They all dominate in their respective fields, and while Jost and the Kelce brothers have many accolades of their own, it's clear they're all more than happy to cede the limelight in their relationships."

"For many men, that's still a bridge too far. Throughout history, when men have been less successful than their female partners, it's often seen as emasculating - a feeling that's certainly back on the upswing in today's tradwife era. But pick any decade and there are plenty of these stories."

"Take the 2015 rap feud between Drake and Meek Mill when the former released the song “Back to Back” about Mill's then-girlfriend Nicki Minaj overshadowing his career. “When Drake wanted to attack Meek Mill,” The Cut wrote at the time, “the most stinging insult he (or his ghostwriters) could come up with amounted to 'your girlfriend is more successful than you are, which means you are an emasculated wimp.'”"

A plus-one role is framed as a rebrand, with Colin Jost and the Kelce brothers discussing what it feels like to be the less-famous partner in a relationship. Jost describes it as “huge relief.” The conversation connects this dynamic to their partners’ major independent success, including Scarlett Johansson, Kylie Kelce, and Taylor Swift. The piece contrasts this with a broader cultural pattern where men who are less successful than their female partners are often judged as emasculated. It cites examples from popular culture, including a rap feud where an insult centers on a woman’s success making a man seem weak. The text links these attitudes to shifting social trends, including tradwife-era ideas about gender roles.

Read at InsideHook