Catfish: The TV Show

'Catfish’ is a term used to describe anybody who uses a person’s identity, besides his or her own, in order to deceive someone else through a fake personal profile, which results in infatuation.

Many of you may be familiar with Catfish: The TV Show, MTV’s reality-based docudrama. For those of you who are not, this television series records the journey of couples that have fallen in love with each other through social networks (most commonly Facebook) yet after several months of cyber communication, they have not met in person.

The inspiration for the creation of this TV show owes to the fact that Nev Schulman had gone through an experience where he found himself head-over-heels with a woman he had found on the internet, only to later find out that she was not who she claimed to be. His brother, Ariel Schulman, and friend, Henry Joost, recorded Nev’s entire journey, which was released on September 17th 2010 to the public as Catfish: The Movie.

Soon after the movie release, a multitude of people around the world gave a positive feedback through sharing their stories and experiences on social networks. People from different age groups commented on how they had found themselves in similar situations and how they could relate to Nev’s story.

The immense feedback from the documentary inspired Nev along with MTV to create a television series, assisting people who are currently unsure whether or not the person they have been falling in love with over social networks are real or “catfishes”.

If you have been speaking to somebody through social networks but whenever you attempt to contact them in person, they simply give you excuses after excuses, then this is where you should turn to if your friends and family cannot provide you with further help.

The second season of the show has concluded, yet a third season has been confirmed and casting applications are available. If you feel like you can relate to what has been spoken about in this article, do not hesitate in further research on the matter!

“Nev and Max are searching for more online relationships, friendships and business partners who have never met or seen each other on webcam. Are you tired of hearing excuses from your online love about why you can't meet? Or, are you keeping a secret from your Internet crush that you're dying to confess? If you think it's time to find out if your online relationship is true, Nev and Max are here for you.” (MTV, Nov 2013)

Unfortunately, you can only apply if you live in the United States. If you do and you are interested, you can find the application form for season three’s casting here.