Abstract
<p>The contact hypothesis rests on a potential paradox: positive outgroup exemplars may be dismissed as exceptional while negative exemplars may be taken as representative. We investigate whether this asymmetry burdens minorities, in the case of parasocial contact with elite athletes in the English Premier League. Drawing on millions of social media posts, newspaper articles, and Fantasy Premier League transfer data, we find no evidence that minority players are punished more harshly for poor performances. Survey experiments among fans and non-fans demonstrate that negative coverage of a minority player reduces perceived typicality, and among those with parasocial ties, increased outgroup tolerance and empathy. We attribute this to parasocial buffering. The voluntary, passion-driven nature of fandoms may encourage observers to individuate outgroup members and respond with compassion. By treating typicality as an outcome rather than a precondition, we find that negative experiences need not reinforce intergroup stereotypes. Parasocial exposure to celebrities may be especially well-suited for reducing prejudice in scalable and ethical ways.</p>