Is Catfish real? The inner workings of the TV show
Since Catfish debuted in 2012, it has gotten an enormous audience and great recognition. As entertaining and educational as the show is, it has left a lot of fans questioning how real it is, wondering whether the show is actually fake. What happens behind the scenes? Is Catfish real?
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Catfish is a reality-based documentary TV series that airs on MTV. It first premiered on 12 November 2012 and was hosted by Max Joseph and Nev Schulman. It's a show that brings out what's going on in online dating: the truths and the lies.
What is the show all about?
Catfish is a show that invented the term "catfishing", which means luring someone into a relationship by using fake online identities. A lot people get deceived with false social media profiles and fake pictures.
Therefore, Catfish helps solve the identity fraud cases of online dating by tackling the puzzles and complications of dating in a digital world.
In its first season, the show was hosted by Max Joseph and Nev Schulman, but later, Joseph left to pursue his directing career. Kamie Crawford finally became the new co-host alongside Schulman after several other co-hosts did not work out.
Is Catfish real?
Even though the show is about real-life experiences, there are always some small things from the show that will surprise you and leave you wondering if it is real or staged.
After every episode and season, fans always ask themselves whether the show is real and want to experience what happens behind the scenes. There is a lot that happens that you don't see from the show.
This includes the catfish contacting MTV, signing waivers, sending therapists to participants, and other things that happen before and after the production.
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As hard as it is to believe whether the show is real, everything is real, except that some parts have been edited for acting purposes. The real stories have been dramatised for entertainment reasons.
Is Catfish fake? From feelings and emotions to the relationships, all is real. The people on the show are not told what to say. This reality show is created on true stories to help individuals learn the identity of the people they are dating online.
How does the Catfish show work?
It is the catfish who applies for the show first and not the one being catfished, probably because they want to relieve themselves from online lies or to come clean.
Then, the producers investigate and gather information about the lies and contact the one being catfished later. This all happens without giving any information about the catfish to the host.
Before production, everyone signs a waiver to appear on camera. Everyone must be on board to film. Even though the waiver has been signed, it does not guarantee cooperation. Either party is free to change their mind. For example, in season 3, the episode of Cameryn and Miranda, the catfish changed their mind, refused to be on camera, and appeared only on Skype.
After production ends, MTV sends therapists to talk to everyone who appears on the show. This is to make sure that no issues arise after and that everyone is taken care of when the need arises. The experience could be traumatising, and anyone needs proper mental health care.
Is Catfish scripted?
As much as the Catfish show is too good to be true, it is not scripted. Most fans think MTV brings out situations and acts out and want you to believe it's real, but that's not true.
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MTV edits the shows the way they want and has been accused of manipulating and changing some storylines for entertainment. Even though this is what most reality shows do, the credibility of Catfish has been greatly questioned.
As much as so many aspects of the reality show are not entirely clear to the viewers, Catfish is not scripted; only some aspects have been edited for dramatic effects.
FAQs
- Is the show Catfish real? Yes, to an extent. It is a reality TV show, so it is based in reality but sometimes exaggerated or staged for dramatic effect.
- How real is Catfish? MTV has defended the show's authenticity, stating that while they may enhance the storytelling for television, the core of each episode is based on real people and their experiences.
- How many Catfish episodes are real? There has been some controversy and scepticism about the authenticity of certain episodes that seem exaggerated. However, all episodes are based on real people and their online relationship experiences.
- Do Catfish participants get payments? No one in the show, including the catfish, gets direct payments from the production company. The show mostly deals with people seeking help, and it's hard for them to ask for payment.
- Why did Catfish stop filming? Following the allegations made against Yaniv" Nev" Schulman, the host and the executive producer, filming season seven was suspended. The suspension was later lifted after the allegations were found to be false.
- Have there been any successful Catfish episodes? Yes. Kyla and Alex in season one. Even though most episodes don't end well, these two share a happy ending. This was the first success story on Catfish.
- What is the worst drama-filled episode of Catfish? From season 8, episode 2, Alfred and Adonis had the most dramatic and shocking Catfish episode.
- Is Catfish staged? The show is real and not staged, but some parts are edited for dramatic effect.
Is Catfish real? This reality TV show is real and has brought to light that internet dating doesn't always bring a good experience. Many people use pseudo-online accounts to pretend to be someone else and have a real relationship.
Legit.ng published an article about Batman movies. Batman is one of the most recognised superheroes in popular culture. The fictional character created by Bob Kane has appeared in films for the last six decades.
Watching Batman movies chronologically is advised if you want to enjoy them. The first Batman movie was released in the 1940s. Since then, a total of 14 Batman movies have graced the screen.
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