The Sam Sanders Show Who is Clavicular?
Mar 3, 2026
John Paul Brammer, author and artist who writes on internet culture, breaks down the rise of 'Clavicular' and the new influencer vocabulary. Conversations cover looksmaxxing, mogging, and claimed body modifications. They trace roots to incel subcultures, examine the algorithmic hunger for attention, and discuss what these extreme online performances say about social media today.
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Looks Maxing Is Performance For The Algorithm
- Looks maxing is the internet strategy of dedicating almost your entire life to optimizing an appearance for social media performance.
- John Paul Bramer explains Clavicular pursues looks maxing to perform for algorithms, not real-world relationships, including extreme body modification claims.
Clavicular's Self Reported Body Alterations
- Clavicular is Brayden Peters, a 20-year-old who claims extreme body changes like smashing facial bones and starting testosterone at 14.
- John Paul Bramer recounts these shocking self-reported practices while noting reporters largely rely on Clavicular's own claims.
Mogging Turns Comparison Into A Game
- Mogging is gamified one-upmanship where someone enters a digital frame to look better than another person and declare it.
- Bramer explains Clavicular streams to mog people, turning look superiority into an interactive spectacle.