FINALLY OFFLINE

Better in Person EP 009 featuring Emma

By Chief Editor | Approved by Will Nichols, Editor in Chief | 8/6/2026

BETTER IN PERSON 路 EP 009 路 Watch the episode on YouTube

Better in Person episode 9, Finally Offline's street interview series hosted by Savvy, features Emma. Emma says she hopes she is better in person because online is curated and, in the nicest way, kind of fake, and because you can't really be funny online, which she thinks is the best quality a person can have. She says what makes her better in person is body language: eye contact, posture, and an immediate response she does not get to think about first. Offline she is a runner training for the New York City Marathon, volunteers with the Achilles running community, explores New York on foot, and reads.

Key Points

Emma has a theory: the best quality a person can have is funny, and you can''t really be funny online.

Better in person or better online? "I hope in person." Why hope? Because online is curated. "In the nicest way possible, it''s kind of fake." Being told she was better online, she decides, would be a backhanded compliment. Then the real reason lands: "You can''t really be funny online. And I think the best quality somebody can be is funny." The only exception is running a meme account, which she does not, "not at this moment." She leaves the door open anyway. "Maybe it could even be a joint venture."

What makes her better in person? "Body language." Eye contact, how you''re sitting, your immediate response, the kind you don''t get to think about first or crowdsource from your friends before you say it.

Offline, she runs. She''s training for the New York City Marathon, "it''s my plug," and she volunteers with a running community called Achilles that she can''t say enough good things about. Her favorite thing to do alone is run through a new part of New York and explore it. "It''s the best way to see the bulk of the city." She reads, too. She just finished a book yesterday and is holding the backup, Enchanted April, because the new one is at the library and the library is closed on Sundays.

Shout outs go to her roommates Caitlyn and Madison, and to Alyssa: "I love you and hi."

Then she''s gone. "We''ve got books to read."

馃帳 Host: Savvy

Transcript

Emma: I think the best quality somebody can be is funny.

Savvy: What's up, guys? It's your host, Savvy. Finally Offline, better in person, and today we are here with Emma. Emma, how are you?

Emma: I'm good. How are you?

Savvy: I'm well. Now I have a quick question for you. Are you better in person or are you better online?

Emma: I hope in person.

Savvy: Okay. Why do you say "I hope"?

Emma: Well, I think online it's all like curated.

Savvy: Yeah, fair.

Emma: So, I mean, it can be, in the nicest way possible, it's kind of fake. So if somebody told me I was better online, that would be like a backhanded compliment, kind of, sort of, probably. Also, you can't really be funny online. And I think the best quality somebody can be is funny.

Savvy: I feel like unless you run like a meme account of some sort, it's kind of hard.

Emma: And I can't say that I run a meme account right now.

Savvy: Okay. Not at this moment.

Emma: Right. No, it could be a future potential.

Savvy: It could be.

Emma: Yes. Maybe it could even be a joint venture.

Savvy: Absolutely. I'm so glad you brought that up.

Emma: I'd be down.

Savvy: Okay. What would you say makes you better in person?

Emma: Body language.

Savvy: Very important.

Emma: You can't show somebody that you're super interested online. It's eye contact, how you're sitting, your immediate response, like not being able to think about a response. Ask your friends what to say on the spot.

Savvy: Yeah. Okay. What places are we seeing? What sites are we seeing?

Emma: Anything I can see on a run. I'm a big runner. I like getting outside.

Savvy: Training for the New York City Marathon.

Emma: It's my plug. There you go. I volunteer with a running community called Achilles. It's so incredible. I love it so much. My favorite thing to do alone is I just run through a new part of New York and I explore it. It's the best way to see the bulk of the city.

Savvy: Yeah. It's a lot to see, too.

Emma: Yes. And I like to read.

Savvy: That's amazing. What book is this? Do you want to show the people at home what book this is?

Emma: Sure. This is called Enchanted April. I just finished my book yesterday, so this is the new one. Well, this was not supposed to be the new one. The new one is at the library. The library is closed on Sundays, unfortunately.

Savvy: Is there anybody that you want to send love to or you want to give a shout out to?

Emma: Okay, I'll shout out my roommates, Caitlyn Sweeney and Madison Cameron, because I know if somehow somebody sees it, it's going to be one of them. They're online. But Alyssa, if you see this, I love you and hi.

Savvy: Well, thank you so much.

Emma: Thank you.

Savvy: Finally Offline, guys. We're out of here. We've got books to read.

Emma: Yes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Better in Person by Finally Offline?

Better in Person is Finally Offline's street interview series. Each episode is filmed in person with one guest and one question, hosted by Savvy, and every episode is collected at finallyoffline.com/watch.

Is Emma better in person or better online in Better in Person episode 9?

Emma hopes she is better in person. She says online is curated and, in the nicest way, kind of fake, and that you can't really be funny online, which she thinks is the best quality a person can have.

What does Emma do offline in Better in Person episode 9?

Emma is a runner. She is training for the New York City Marathon, volunteers with the Achilles running community, likes to run through new parts of New York to explore the city, and reads.

Topics: emma-bip, better in person, emma, better-in-person

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