Catfish: The TV Show (2012–…): Season 6, Episode 1 - Shawny & Jack - full transcript
- Text him. "We wanted to know
if you would be interested in meeting her."
"I really do want to meet her, but I'’m afraid.
I haven'’t been completely honest."
No way.
- I think that we might be getting duped.
- Is this a setup?
- What the hell'’s going on here?
Do you know this person?
Someone'’s lying.
[dramatic musical sting]
♪
- Laura and I went to a birthing class
for new parents. - Mm-hmm.
- Whew, man. I did not know anything.
- What did you learn?
- Ways that I can massage her.
It'’s like a hip shake.
Here, really, that feels good
when you'’re having a contraction.
Hold my arms like this, and then you squat,
and I, like, support you.
- Wow.
My back may be feeling better.
[laughter]
Let'’s just get to the episode already.
- Here'’s an email from Shawny J. - Shawny?
- "I don'’t know what'’s worse:
"being catfished or being the side piece.
"Dear Nev and Max, my name is Shawny,
"and I'’m from Rochester, New York.
"I'’m writing to you because I really need your help.
"Five months ago I randomly met a man named Jack.
[bright music]
"It all started when I got a call from a random number.
"I immediately sent it straight to voicemail
"hoping the person would leave a VM.
"No such luck.
"So I sent a text message asking who it was.
"This is where it all went down.
"At first it was just all flirtation,
but within weeks it grew to be something much more."
Immediately they start flirting even though she has no idea
who this person is? That'’s weird.
- ♪ Nobody loves you like I love you ♪
♪ Whoo, whoo
- "Jack is like no one I'’ve ever met.
"He makes me feel special,
"which is something I have not felt in a long time.
"Jack truly came into my life at a time
"when I needed him the most.
"The connection we have is as if I have known him forever.
"Although Jack is so special to me,
"I'’m trying my best to be guarded.
"Jack sometimes tends to act shady.
There are times when I do not hear from him for days on end."
- Shadiness.
- "Have I become the chick on the side?
"I'’m ready to take things with Jack to the next level,
but I have to know is this for real?"
- ♪ Nobody loves you like I do ♪
- "Please call me.
"Shawny.
Here are some photos of my boo."
So that'’s a picture of Jack.
- He'’s got dreads, '’kay. - Interesting.
Let'’s give her a call.
[phone beeping]
[line trilling]
- Hello? - Hey, it'’s Nev and Max.
How are you?
- Who? - [laughs]
- Nev--it'’s Nev and Max.
- I can'’t believe you guys called.
- We were wondering if we could video chat.
- Sure. I'’m with my friend right now. She has a computer.
- Do you normally not have, like, a computer?
- Um, no, I don'’t.
- Does your phone have a camera? - No.
- All right, we'’ll talk to you in two seconds.
- Okay. - Bye.
- Buh-bye. - Oh.
- Oh. both: Hey!
- Hi. - Wow, what'’s up?
- Hey, what'’s up with you guys? - Shawny.
- Nice to meet you.
- Tell us a little bit about yourself.
- I work, actually, in beauty.
I sell makeup and lotions and soaps and things like that.
- I like soap. - Well, your mom used
to have to rinse your mouth out with soap a lot,
so the flavor would matter.
- That'’s true.
So you live in Rochester now. Is that where you grew up?
- Yes, this is where I grew up. - Okay.
- Born and raised. - Any kids?
- I have three kids. both: Wow.
- And what'’s up with your baby daddy?
- We'’re not together.
- Take us back, you know, five months ago
when you got this random phone call
and kind of how everything progressed from there.
- Okay, so I was selling my soaps and things like that.
And so every once in a while
I'’d--you know, I'’ll get a call, and I got a call from Jack.
I let it go to voicemail.
I texted him, and I wanted to know,
you know, like, if he had any inquiries.
He'’s so funny, he just started, like, kind of flirting with me,
and I thought it was funny, and I did it back.
- Wow. - What was--what was his line?
Like, "I'’m feeling really dirty?
Do you have any soap to clean me up?"
- Yeah, "I'’m a--I'’m a dirty boy."
- Yeah. - [laughs]
Can you tell us a little bit about him?
- He lives here in Rochester too.
- He lives in Rochester? - Wait. Time out.
Why haven'’t you guys met?
- He works a lot, and I'’m busy with my kids.
- Do you talk to him on the phone?
- No, we [indistinct].
- You'’ve only texted? - We only text.
- Yeah, but he called you once.
- Yeah, but she didn'’t answer.
You'’re a smart woman.
You know that that'’s pretty weird.
- That is weird, but at this point I'’ve fallen
for whoever I'’ve been talking to, honestly.
I'’m in love.
I am very emotionally invested in this relationship,
but lately he hasn'’t been texting me back,
and when he does, it'’s, like, late at night.
It makes me wonder,
"Am I the only person he'’s talking to?"
- You don'’t know Jack.
- [laughs]
- So clearly this is a situation
you need to fix.
- Yes, it is.
- We want a basket of soaps.
- We'’re just gonna let this whole story wash over us.
- [laughs]
Bye, Shawny. - We'’ll see you soon.
- Bye, guys.
- Oh, man.
I mean, what a--what a nice-- what a sweetheart.
- Not--not-- not looking good.
Yeah, she'’s gonna have her heart broken.
- She'’s amazing. - She'’s not gonna be smiling
at the end of this episode.
- Well, let'’s go to Rochester. - The Roc.
She'’s really caught between the Roc and a hard place.
- ♪ Things we did
♪ When we were young and evil
♪ And I have a heart
♪ I want to put to use
- Well, here we are in lovely Rochester.
- Shawny-- - Talking to Jack.
- Talking to Jack, and they live in the same city,
which is not good. - Never good.
- But to be fair, Shawny doesn'’t have a laptop.
She doesn'’t video chat with anybody.
- It'’s unusual.
Well, here we are.
[music fades out]
[doorbell rings]
- Oh. - Hi.
- Hey. - What'’s up?
- What'’s up? - Look at those eyes.
- Oh, you have green eyes. Irish Spring.
- Yes. - Am I allowed to say that?
It'’s a different kind of soap. - [laughs]
You guys want to come in? - Yeah.
- Let'’s find a place where we can get comfortable.
- The couch:
this is the one consistent set piece
in all episodes of "Catfish."
So you were with your ex up until when?
- Up until about March.
- Is this is kind of a relief now
that it'’s, like, kind of finally over?
- It hurts, but it'’s not as hurtful as it was
when I was in the situation.
He cheated on me.
He did all kinds of things.
He really hurt me.
- Are you still technically married?
- We'’re getting a divorce.
- So you get this random phone call
from some number you don'’t recognize.
- Yup. - So you text.
- He responded back, "What'’s up?"
and just talking and stuff,
and I was thinking, "Who is this?"
like, thinking it was a joke or whatever,
but I didn'’t really think it was too weird.
There was a man I used to have a talking relationship
with, this old guy.
- How did he get your number? - He thought
he was calling someone else.
- It could be him, and he could know
that you would know his voice.
[feeble voice] "Hi, Shawny."
- [laughs]
- [feeble voice] "It'’s your old friend."
- [laughs]
- [feeble voice] "I'’m in love with you.
I'’m dirty."
- [laughs]
"Bring me some soap."
- Can you tell us about Jack?
- J'’s everything that my husband wasn'’t.
- J? - J, I call him J.
He gives me the feelings like somebody'’s
actually paying attention to what you'’re saying.
I could tell that he'’s special.
- You guys haven'’t spoken on the phone.
- J could be a girl.
- I doubt it. - Do you only date men?
- At this point in my life,
I would date whoever showed me love.
If they treated me a certain type of way
and I found myself interested in them,
I might.
But J is not the person
that he was when I met him.
He doesn'’t respond the way he used to.
I have to kind of chase him for attention.
My biggest fear is that J is with someone.
I don'’t want to be the other woman.
My husband cheated on me.
I don'’t want to do that to anyone.
So I can'’t.
I can'’t be with him if he'’s with someone else,
so I really want to make sure that I love who I think I love.
- Can we see some of the messages
you guys send to each other?
Wow, look at this. Look at this screen.
- Jeez. - Oh, my God.
- I kind of love it, though. - How do I--
- You just scroll down. - That'’s the way it should be.
- I just can'’t believe you'’ve had this entire relationship
without emojis.
- I'’m so far behind with it.
- You said, "Hey, boy, I missed you."
He said, "I'’m sorry. I'’ve been a little busy.
Hopefully I can make it up to you somehow,"
and you said, "How do you plan on making it up to me?"
and then he said, "Oh, hopefully you'’ll see soon enough."
A little flirty. - Yeah.
- If he were dating someone else,
it'’d be messed-up of him
to continue talking to you in this way.
- Yeah.
I want who I fell in love with,
and I'’m really hoping that that'’s what I get.
- You'’re just tired of Jack [bleep].
- [laughs]
- All right, well, we have our job cut out for us for sure.
Let'’s get out of here.
- See you later. - So long, Shawny.
- Whoever this is could know her.
- Right.
- It'’s an inside job. - Right.
Why wouldn'’t they have met up? Why would he be so mysterious?
Why wouldn'’t he talk on the phone?
- If he turns out to not be who he says he is,
it'’s gonna really mess her up.
- Today will be interesting.
I mean, we have almost nothing to go on here.
So essentially, it has to be someone she knows.
Otherwise,
how would they have found her?
[upbeat music]
Okay, we'’re gonna make a big splash now.
- Splashy. - Here we go.
- Oh, boy. Oh! - Let'’s crack this case.
Hello. Wow, this place is cool. - Wow.
- All right. - Okay.
- For this investigation,
we need to go old-school.
- She doesn'’t use technology, so--
- We got to run--we got to run the numbers on this one.
What'’s the phone number?
What do we got, anything?
Any hits?
No, we'’re not getting any hits, Max.
I don'’t know what else to do.
All right.
We'’ve got an interesting story here.
Shawny'’s been married, had ups and downs.
He'’s cheated on her a lot.
They finally agreed to get a divorce.
Along comes Jack.
Problem is, they both live in Rochester.
They haven'’t met; can'’t even talk on the phone.
Her big concern is that Jack is in another relationship,
so first thing we need to do,
see if we can figure out who Jack is.
Second and maybe as important,
is Jack in a relationship with someone else?
All right, we got some photos,
so we can search. Are you ready?
- Yup. - Here it is.
- Here we go. - I don'’t think this is a hit.
- No. - Number two.
- Nope.
- Come on, dude. - All right, last one.
Nope.
- No luck on the pictures.
- So all we have is his phone number.
I think we got to run it.
- This better give us something.
No name.
Is that an address of where it'’s located?
- Is it the house on the right or the left?
Let'’s zoom in here.
- Enhance. Enhance. - And enhance. Okay.
- Oh, 28. - 28.
- What'’s the number on this house?
- 22.
Okay, let'’s look-- let'’s look those up.
Rochester, NY.
Wait a second.
Robert [bleep], 92?
Remember, she has that old guy
who used to call her all the time?
- That'’s true.
- Well, maybe it'’s the same guy,
and he figured out how to text.
- This is one technologically advanced old man.
- All right, let'’s see the other house.
- All right.
- Angel, a woman in her early 30s.
- All right, well. - Let'’s look that name up.
Oh, Angel in Rochester.
- Oh, we got one? Oh, in Rochester. Whoa.
- Hey. Studied medical assisting.
- All right, we got a nurse.
- Lives in Rochester. Here she is.
- Mm-hmm. - With a gay pride flag.
- It seems like she could be into women.
- Right.
- Which would point to her. - Maybe Shawny knows Angel.
- She does look clean, which means she uses soap.
[laughter]
- This is a very possible suspect.
We have to assume if they'’re not talking on the phone,
it'’s because they'’re not the gender they say they are.
The phone number is linked to that house.
That house is linked to this woman.
It would make sense why they haven'’t spoken on the phone.
- This woman could be linked. - This woman is of
the right sort of age
and potentially sexual orientation.
We should message Angel.
"Strange as it may seem,
we are making an episode of our TV show,
"Catfish," and your name came up.
We'’d love to speak with you and ask you a couple questions.
Please get back to me ASAP. Thanks."
- Time out.
My antennae are vibrating.
I think that we might be getting duped.
I'’m officially suspicious.
I think that Shawny might know who this is.
- Okay. - She might know this is Angel.
She was very, very open to it being a woman.
You know what I mean? Like, I--
- Is this a setup? - Could be a setup.
- For what, though? - There have been people
who'’ve come on the show,
but then it turned out that they knew the catfish all along.
You lied to the show so that you could come on
and then meet each other in person?
- Yeah.
- I generally am not one
for conspiracy theories,
but I'’ve got a gut feeling about this.
- All right.
- And I'’m--want to grill her.
- Great, so you can give her the third degree,
and maybe she'’ll tell us something,
or maybe she'’ll know something about one of these people.
- I'’m telling you, man, something is up.
- At this point anything'’s possible.
- Maybe before we share it all with her,
we should kind of apply a little pressure
and see what she does.
- All right, yeah.
I'’ll let you work--play bad cop.
- All right.
- Get your game face on.
[knocks]
- Hey. - Hi, guys.
- Hey.
- What'’s up?
- [sighs]
- Okay, Shawny, we need to have a real talk here.
- Yes.
- You'’ve seen the show. - Mm-hmm.
- There have been people who'’ve come on the show
who claim to have never met the person
that they ended up talking to.
- Okay.
- But then it turned out
that they knew them all along.
- Okay.
- Because this person is in Rochester--
- The story feels very--it'’s unusual.
- So I just want togive you
an opportunity now...
- Uh-huh.
- To let us know if by any chance you know
who this person already is that you'’re talking to.
- I wish I did.
That'’s why I called you guys.
I put myself out there to do this.
Coming on TV is gonna embarrass the hell out of me,
and I'’m really gonna be pissed off
if it'’s not the situation
that I'’ve thought that I'’ve had for the last five months.
I'’m not, you know, one of those type of people
to even put myself out there like that,
so this is kind of huge.
- Okay. Real talk over.
- Max is very suspicious.
We'’ve been duped before. That'’s why.
- Yeah.
- All right, so let me show
you what we found.
We looked up his phone number. - Okay.
- This is interesting because even though it
doesn'’t know who the phone number
is registered to, it has a little pin on a map.
- Yeah. - So when we zoom in,
it'’s actually pointing at two houses.
- Uh-huh.
- And so you can see this is number 22.
- Okay. - And this house is number 28.
- Okay. - So then we thought, "Okay,
let'’s look up these houses and see who lives there."
- Yeah.
- 28 was the first one on the left.
It looks like Robert [bleep]
owns it or lives there presently.
- Okay. - Do you know the name of
the old man who used to call you?
- I think he said his name was, like, George or something.
- H--any idea how old he was or?
- No, he just sounded really old.
- Like, really old?
- Like, at least grandpa times two old.
- Robert [bleep] is 92.
- Grandfather times two. - Yeah.
- You used to get a lot of phone calls
from a very old dude.
- Yeah, I did.
- So is it possible that the old man
who used to call you missed you
and decided to start texting you?
Do you think that--I mean, is that possible?
- Possibly. - It'’s--it'’s a possibility.
- That'’s what we got when we looked up one of the addresses.
- Okay.
- Now, check out what happened when we ran the other one.
- Uh-huh. - This one comes back registered
to someone named Angel.
- My husband used to work with someone named Angel.
- Really? - Yeah.
- Well, doing what? - When he was working, like,
at a part in the hospital.
- A man or a woman? - It was a woman.
- So then we looked up Angel.
Here'’s a woman who, again, lives in Rochester.
- Mm-hmm.
- She looks to be about the right age,
and do you--have you ever seen this woman before?
- No. - Throughout her profile photos
there have been a number of references
to gay pride and the LGBT flag.
- Okay. - So we thought maybe
that would explain
why you can'’t talk on the phone.
- Yeah. - Because you'’d hear that
she has a female'’s voice.
- Okay. Under Angel'’s information,
it says she studied medical assisting.
- That'’s right. - Oh, that'’s crazy.
- So it'’s possible she would have worked at a hospital.
- Yeah, true.
- Well, how would you feel if it turned out
you were talking to a 30-something-year-old woman?
- I would be shocked, I guess,
'’cause that'’s not what I imagined.
- Right, but yesterday-- - I mean, I know. Like, I n--
- It didn'’t matter.
- I would like to meet whoever it is.
I'’m just a little surprised.
- Well, it could be this woman,
or it could be someone this woman knows.
Could be that old man you used to talk to.
I mean, there'’s a ton of people that it could be.
- Maybe your ex created the Jack character to tie
you up and distract you
so that you don'’t meet another guy.
- I highly doubt it because he didn'’t see me
as being attractive, as he was always cheating.
That'’s why I don'’t think that it would be him.
- I think we should wait, see if we hear back from Angel.
- Okay.
- And at the very least we'’ll meet back up in the morning,
and we'’ll assess, you know, how we want to proceed.
I don'’t think she'’s lying to us.
- I don'’t either.
- Her ex worked with
someone named Angel at a hospital.
- And Angel went to school for--
both: Medical assistance. - Or something, I know.
- And the phone number brings us to Angel.
- This guy she'’s been in love with is probably a woman.
- She doesn'’t see that, but we know.
- Did you get any--
- I don'’t know. - How have you not checked?
- I left--this stuff was in your room. Let'’s see.
- Well, did we get anything?
- Let'’s see. Angel may have responded.
Oh, well, we didn'’t get any messages.
- Well, that'’s disappointing. - So it means
we'’re basically exactly
where we left off yesterday. - We got nothing.
All we have is Jack'’s phone number.
Make that call.
Is this your pre-catfish call stretch?
- Mm-hmm, I got to get loosened up.
- Uh-huh, be flexible to see which way that they--
- You never know what they'’re gonna throw at you,
and you got to be able to--
All right. Let'’s go.
[line trilling]
- I'’m sorry, but the person you called has a voice mailbox
that has not been set up yet. - Should I leave a message?
- You can'’t. - Oh, all right.
- So text Jack.
- "Hey, is this Jack?
"This is Nev from the TV show, '’Catfish.'’
Have you heard of it?"
His response could take a little longer.
- Text messaging without doing something else
is the most boring activity in the world.
You always have to be multitasking
when you'’re text messaging.
[phone chimes] - Oh.
"This is Jack. Yes, I'’ve heard of it."
"I'’m reaching out"--
- On behalf of--
- "On behalf of your friend"--
- Shawny. - "Shawny.
"We wanted to know if you would
be interested in meeting her."
[phone chimes, Nev gasps]
"I really do want to meet her, but I'’m afraid.
I haven'’t been completely honest."
- No [bleep].
- "I'’m divorced."
So there'’s a big part of his life
that he never told her about.
"The thing she is most worried about
is that she is your side chick."
"Shawny is the only woman in my life.
"Meet me at a park by where I live.
I'’ll text you the address."
- All right, let'’s g--
I mean, let'’s not waste any time.
They might change their mind.
- Yeah.
- Good news,
there is no other woman in the picture.
- If we believe Jack. - Fingers crossed.
- Hello? - Hello.
- Hey. - How are you guys?
- Good.
We tried calling Jack but no voicemail.
- Okay. - So then I texted.
The two big questions we had were,
"Are you involved with someone else?"
- Right. - To which they answered,
"Shawny is the only woman in my life."
- Okay. - So that was good.
However--
- There'’s more to Jack'’s story.
- Jack said,
"There are some things Shawny doesn'’t know.
I'’ve been divorced."
- Okay. - I guess you didn'’t know that.
- No. - That didn'’t seem like it
would be a deal breakerfor you.
- No, but he never told me that before.
- He hasn'’t told you anything. - Right.
- He hasn'’t told you his last name.
He hasn'’t told you where he works.
- Right. He gave this address
for some park not too far from here
where he wants to meet us.
- Okay.
- You got butterflies, don'’t you?
- Yeah. I'’m really nervous.
I mean, I'’m ready.
I'’m definitely ready to do this.
- Well, then we should go.
♪
Oh, boy.
- It'’s, like, a 50/50 chance that this is a woman.
You know that?
- I feel like even if that'’s the case, I'’m ready for it.
Honestly, I feel like I'’m willing to forgive
just like I want to be forgiven, so--
- Forgive you? For what?
- Um, I just took, you know,
some pictures that I would want, and I used that.
♪
- Wait, you sent Jack pictures of someone else?
- Yeah. - You lied to Jack.
- Wait, so you sent Jack pictures of someone else?
- Yeah. - [laughs]
- I mean, I don'’t know. I don'’t know him like that,
so I wanted to make sure that, you know, like--
- Well, yeah, but you lied to Jack.
- I didn'’t lie per se.
- You--you did lie.
- You catfished this guy.
- Did I? - Yes.
- Yeah. - You are just as much--
- I don'’t think so. - You did.
- Yes. - You'’ve bent the truth.
- But I told him about me.
- Right, but that'’s what everybody says.
- The only thing is that I didn'’t look--
- Right, that'’s what everyone says,
"It just wasn'’t me in the pictures,
but everything elseis me."
- Guys, here it is, Durand.
- "Everything else is really true."
- We'’re approaching the park.
- But what if he'’s nothing like he said?
- Well, you'’re nothing like the pictures you sent.
You can'’t justify sending pictures of someone else.
- Right, so I do have to say that.
- So you'’re gonna have to clear that up.
- Yeah.
- Unbelievable.
[suspenseful music]
All right.
- You okay? - Yeah.
- I think we should just get out and wait for the guy--
- Okay.
- Girl, whatever they are. - Yeah.
- He could be hiding behind any of these trees.
Jack? Is that you? - [laughs]
- No, I guess not.
We have a good vantage point from here.
- This is so real.
Wow.
- Is someone in this Chevy?
Nope.
A lot of, uh...
stuff going on here.
This is a great spot to lure someone
that you'’ve met on the internet.
- What are you waiting for?
- [laughs]
- Whoa, here'’s someone.
False alarm.
[suspenseful music]
Oh.
- What?
- We got someone on a bike.
Definite suspect. - That'’s a first.
I'’m feeling this biker.
Wait, that looks like the guy in the picture.
- It kind of does, right?
♪
- Oh, wait. He'’s dismounted.
- That does look like the guy from the picture.
[suspenseful music]
♪
- Do you know this person?
You know this person?
- Do you know this person?
- Yes.
- You'’re in trouble.
Someone'’s lying.
- It'’s your ex-husband?
[bleep].
- No way. - [sighs]
Is it really?
- Unbelievable.
So you werelying to us.
- You didcatfish us.
♪
- Hey, I'’m Nev.
Why don'’t you just tell us what'’s going on?
- Did you know it was her?
- No, not until I got, like,
to right by this tree right here.
- No. - I didn'’t--I thought, like,
this was gonna be a first-time meeting.
I--that'’s why
I'’m--I'’m wondering, like, "What'’s going on?"
- But didn'’t she tell you her name--
via the texts, didn'’t she say,
"Oh, my name is Shawny?"
- I said my name is Shawny.
- This is not Shawny.
[dramatic music]
- I don'’t understand.
- What'’s your name? - Ebony.
- Your name is not Shawny?
- No.
- Why wouldn'’t you tell us that?
- Because I thought that you guys wouldn'’t help me.
- Help you do what?
- Try to get my family back together.
♪
- You didcatfish us.
- You were right! - I was right!
Kind of.
- What the hell'’s going on here?
- Well, it all started
when I got a new phone,
and I called Brandon.
- Is that your actual name?
- Yeah.
- He didn'’t answer the phone,
but he texted back later
that night trying to see who I was.
He told me his name was Jack.
- Why didn'’t you just say your name?
- I didn'’t know who it was.
I'’m not about to just give anybody my real name.
- I didn'’t tell him who I was.
♪
- I just want to get this straight.
So you got a new phone--
- Yeah. - Called Brandon.
But you didn'’t answer. - No.
- You then texted, "Who is this?"
That'’s how this all started?
- Yeah.
We weren'’t talking at the time.
We were in the process of separating then.
- Wait, so hold on, and what did you think for five months
when you couldn'’t get this girl on the phone?
- She said she--she was doing music, so I figured, like,
maybe--and she talked about traveling a lot, so I figured--
- You--"Shawny" was doing music and traveling a lot.
You took every chapter out of the catfish book.
- Well, he catfished me, and I catfished him back.
- When did he catfish you?
- '’Cause he told me his name was Jack.
- That'’s because you'’re some stranger
hitting him up on--you know?
- Yeah.
- Time out.
Ebony, you did all this stuff.
- Yeah. - You lied to us.
You lied to Brandon.
You lied and cheated your way here for what?
- I felt like I didn'’t know what else to do.
Honestly, we were living in the same house,
and we weren'’t even talking to one another,
and the kids would see that all the time,
and I just thought, like, maybe he could talk to me
as a differentperson.
How is it that you can just maintain for five months being,
like, the perfect person ever just about,
and, like, for 16 years
you couldn'’t even get it together?
Like...
why can'’t we do that as Brandon and Ebony?
I don'’t want to have to be somebody else to be loved.
- So did you catfish us and him
in order to force this conversation?
'’Cause you could have had this conversation with him
without us theoretically.
- I'’ve tried, but we just argue,
and it made it worse.
It made everything worse.
- Okay, so it'’s not my business,
and I'’m not trying to be a marriage counselor here,
but we were under the impression
from her side of the story
that you had been involved with one
or some other people.
- He'’s been with all of Rochester.
♪
- She felt that your eyes were drifting elsewhere
for a long time. - I look at everybody.
I mean, I'’m looking at you all.
I feel like everybody out here
is beautiful, you know what I mean?
It'’s--look at the scenery, you know?
I look at a lot of stuff, but that don'’t mean
I'’m--like, I love trees. I love animals.
I don'’t have sex with them, but we would be little--
- In regards to women-- - I love women.
- Do you? - I mean, I don'’t see,
like, why no one would love women.
- Right - Even women should love women.
- Yes. - I--that'’s how I feel.
- What do you want,though?
Do you want to try to work this out?
- Yeah, like, anything can be worked out.
I don'’t see why not.
Just not no compromise, like,
some things I feel can'’t be compromised on.
I mean, every relationship ain'’t got to be the same.
I'’d rather have, like,
more--more of a freedom type of a thing,
like, you know what I mean?
I'’m speaking a little vague,
but I think she understands what I'’m talking about.
- He wants to have his cake and eat it too.
- Yeah.
- I'’d never agree with that expression.
I'’d never agree with that. Ain'’t no reason to have cake
if you'’re gonna have it sitting in front of you.
I'’m gonna eat it, and if it'’s offered again,
I'’m gonna get another piece.
- Well, so here--so here'’s the question, okay?
Clearly you guys still have love for each other.
- Yeah, we do. - And you still desire
a family together.
- I want to be with him,
but I don'’t want to keep being played.
- That doesn'’t sound like you want to be in a relationship
with someone who'’s constantly sleeping with other people.
- No, unless we'’re both sleeping with other people.
I want to be in a equal relationship.
- Do you want to be sleeping with other people?
- Yeah, if he'’s not sleeping with me.
- No, no, no, no, no.
Do you want to sleep with other people?
- No. - No, which means that ideally,
you don'’t want him sleeping with other people.
- Right.
- I just want to give
each of you a chance to say
how you'’re feeling not in front of each other for a second.
Is that cool if we just, like, walk over here?
Obviously you have a family.
- Yeah. - And you don'’t want
to upset her and create more drama.
- Right. - So, you know, we thought
she was getting catfished by somebody
who obviously was not being honest.
- Right.
- We should have been helping you find out who she was.
- Yeah, '’cause--I mean,
I should have asked more questions, obviously.
- Right.
- It'’s like, I didn'’t have nobody to talk to.
Like, it felt different.
Like, I was happy to have it.
- Right.
- But, like, now, like,
I don'’t know what the hell I have.
- We'’ve been together for so long,
I don'’t know how to let him go.
[sighs]
That'’s the hardest thing ever.
- When you'’ve been with only one person your whole life,
I can imagine it'’s probably the hardest thing to do.
- I don'’t know what it'’s like to be on my own,
and it'’s scary.
But the truth is,though,
I don'’t know what I want.
- Hey, Max.
Let'’s all talk again tomorrow.
You guys each have some thinking to do.
- Nice to meet you. See you tomorrow.
- All right, we'’ll text you
and figure out a time tomorrow that works to meet up.
- All right. See you tomorrow.
- Bye.
- All right, well, let'’s get out of here.
- My head is spun.
[melancholy music]
♪
- Oh, man. - Jesus.
I'’m never trusting anyone again.
- We asked you point-blank.
- We grilled you point-blank,
and you were totally cool, calm, and collected.
- I'’m still the same person.
I'’m the person that was talking to you guys.
It'’s just-- - You--you lied to me.
[melancholy music continues]
♪
Real talk, I don'’t understand
why you don'’t dump this [bleep] guy.
- I--I don'’t know. - I understand
he'’s the father to your kids,
but he'’s shown you no real respect.
He doesn'’t really want to be with you.
'’Cause he wants to have sex with these other girls.
So, like, at some point you'’ve got to--
- '’Cause I'’m almost-- - Like, where does your own
self-love kick in over your love for him?
- I do love myself. - Well, at some point,
you'’re gonna have to choose between yourself
and your love for him.
[melancholy music continues]
- ♪ Underneath my skin
♪ And you'’re the one for me ♪
- Who am I talking to?
- [laughs] - Oh, okay.
Do you think you'’d be interested in sitting down
to kind of talk about all this?
- We'’ll come over. We'’ll invite Brandon over,
and we'’ll all wrap this up.
- All right.
- Oh, just head right in. - All right. Hey.
- Hey. - What'’s up? How you doing?
- Good, how are you? - Good.
- How are you? - How you doing?
- Good.
[knock at door] - Oh.
- Hey. - Hello.
- Come in.
- Hey, man.
- Yo. What'’s up? - How you doing?
- Good to see you. - Good to see you.
- So how you feeling?
- I'’m feeling all right.
Yesterday I didn'’t want to admit it,
but I was pretty upset.
I didn'’t expect Ebony to be Shawny,
and I definitely wanted to say some things to make her
just as upset as I was.
Like, this wasn'’t something, like, that was,
like, uh...
I didn'’t really grow up
expressing myself talking, so.
- This is a difficult conversation for anybody
to have with a girlfriend
of six months or partner of 16 years.
I mean, this is a tough conversation.
- I'’m not mad at you about anything.
I'’m not holding anything against you.
I always loved you ever since we was little.
- I always loved you too.
- I shouldn'’t have had to do this.
And I see now, like,
I was trying to hold on to something
I knew wasn'’t there,
but for some reason I thought I was gonna fix it.
I know I didn'’t really think it all through
like I should have,
and I'’m sorry.
- I accept your apology.
I'’m definitely sorry for a lot of stuff.
There'’s been too much, too many years, so.
- I don'’t think that it would be
the most healthiest thing to keep doing this.
- You always been a good friend to me,
and you ended up being two friends to me,
and I definitely appreciate that.
Honestly, I probably caused all this.
I have a lot of regrets,
and I definitely got to think about working on myself.
- I think we should have did this before.
It would have been so much easier,
but maybe it just needed to be like this.
I'’m so sorry.
Thanks.
This is what we needed.
- Glad we could help.
Sounds like you'’re all on the same page
with what you want right now.
- Yeah. - Yes.
- You got plenty of things to worry about,
but hopefully being able to call each other
and talk isn'’t one of them.
- No.
- All right, guess that'’s it for us.
- Yes. All right, thank you. - Give me a hug.
- Thank you so much. Thank you. - Thank you.
- Yeah, dude.
- Thank you.
- Thank you. - [laughs]
Thank you, guys.
- All right, so we'’ll get out of your way.
- Okay.
- Have a good weekend with your--with your kids.
- Good luck. - Thank you.
- Bye.
[melancholy music]
[line trilling]
both: Hey!
- How are you? - Good, how are you guys?
- Look at that hair. Is that--That'’s a new '’do, huh?
- Yes. - It looks great.
- Thank you.
- So tell us, how has everything been since we saw you?
- Everything has been awesome. - Awesome.
- I think it has a lot to do with "Catfish."
Brandon and I figured out a way that we could be together
and do stuff with the kids. - Hi.
- Hi, Dad.
- So you and Brandon are still separated?
- Yeah, we'’re not together.
- But you'’re spending time together
and he'’s more involved with the kids now?
- Yes, he spends a lot more time with the kids now.
- Oh. - [laughs] Whoa.
- He even takes them out and plans.
It'’s like a whole different thing.
- Dad! - Ah!
- [giggling, squealing]
- Brandon and the kids have a closer relationship now.
They'’re happy to be able to spend more time with him.
Everything'’s completely changed.
Thank you.
Did you want any eggs? - Eh--no, thank you.
- Are you happy you did the show?
- Hell, yeah.
- That'’s a strong answer. - Wow.
- The experience helped us get things off of our chest
that we were, like, just holding in.
Kind of cleared the air for us to just be normal now.
- I hungry. I hungry.
- So if you guys are on good terms,
do you mind if we add him into this conversation?
- Actually, he'’s here. Brandon.
- Hey-o! - Hey!
- It'’s really nice to see you guys sitting with each other,
smiling and laughing. This is great.
- Brandon, how have things been for you since the episode ended?
- I'’ve been focusing on, you know, putting more time
in at work, cooking and everything.
I improved a burger, a way to keep it juicy.
I think you will love it, but I can'’t tell you how to do it.
I definitely can'’t tell you how. It'’s my secret.
Order up. [bell dings]
Been spending more time with the family,
getting along with Ebony. [chuckles]
- And do you miss Shawny?
[both laughing]
- That'’s true. - [laughs]
[both laugh]
- Well, it sounds like you guys are both doing well;
the kids are happy; you'’re happy.
I can'’t believe this weird, twisted
situation untangled itself into a beautiful bow.
And I assume if you guys are both in the same place,
that means your kids are there too, right?
- Yeah. - Can we say--
- Wanna see? - Yeah, I wanna say hi.
- You guys wanna meet Max and Nev?
All right.
- Hey. - Oh, my goodness.
- Look at all these kids.
- I got a question for the kids here.
Does your dad make a good burger?
Thumbs up, or thumbs down?
- Thumbs up.
- Brandon, you can'’t give yourself a thumbs up.
[laughter]
- All right, guys. Have a great weekend.
all: Thank you! Bye! - Bye, guys.
if you would be interested in meeting her."
"I really do want to meet her, but I'’m afraid.
I haven'’t been completely honest."
No way.
- I think that we might be getting duped.
- Is this a setup?
- What the hell'’s going on here?
Do you know this person?
Someone'’s lying.
[dramatic musical sting]
♪
- Laura and I went to a birthing class
for new parents. - Mm-hmm.
- Whew, man. I did not know anything.
- What did you learn?
- Ways that I can massage her.
It'’s like a hip shake.
Here, really, that feels good
when you'’re having a contraction.
Hold my arms like this, and then you squat,
and I, like, support you.
- Wow.
My back may be feeling better.
[laughter]
Let'’s just get to the episode already.
- Here'’s an email from Shawny J. - Shawny?
- "I don'’t know what'’s worse:
"being catfished or being the side piece.
"Dear Nev and Max, my name is Shawny,
"and I'’m from Rochester, New York.
"I'’m writing to you because I really need your help.
"Five months ago I randomly met a man named Jack.
[bright music]
"It all started when I got a call from a random number.
"I immediately sent it straight to voicemail
"hoping the person would leave a VM.
"No such luck.
"So I sent a text message asking who it was.
"This is where it all went down.
"At first it was just all flirtation,
but within weeks it grew to be something much more."
Immediately they start flirting even though she has no idea
who this person is? That'’s weird.
- ♪ Nobody loves you like I love you ♪
♪ Whoo, whoo
- "Jack is like no one I'’ve ever met.
"He makes me feel special,
"which is something I have not felt in a long time.
"Jack truly came into my life at a time
"when I needed him the most.
"The connection we have is as if I have known him forever.
"Although Jack is so special to me,
"I'’m trying my best to be guarded.
"Jack sometimes tends to act shady.
There are times when I do not hear from him for days on end."
- Shadiness.
- "Have I become the chick on the side?
"I'’m ready to take things with Jack to the next level,
but I have to know is this for real?"
- ♪ Nobody loves you like I do ♪
- "Please call me.
"Shawny.
Here are some photos of my boo."
So that'’s a picture of Jack.
- He'’s got dreads, '’kay. - Interesting.
Let'’s give her a call.
[phone beeping]
[line trilling]
- Hello? - Hey, it'’s Nev and Max.
How are you?
- Who? - [laughs]
- Nev--it'’s Nev and Max.
- I can'’t believe you guys called.
- We were wondering if we could video chat.
- Sure. I'’m with my friend right now. She has a computer.
- Do you normally not have, like, a computer?
- Um, no, I don'’t.
- Does your phone have a camera? - No.
- All right, we'’ll talk to you in two seconds.
- Okay. - Bye.
- Buh-bye. - Oh.
- Oh. both: Hey!
- Hi. - Wow, what'’s up?
- Hey, what'’s up with you guys? - Shawny.
- Nice to meet you.
- Tell us a little bit about yourself.
- I work, actually, in beauty.
I sell makeup and lotions and soaps and things like that.
- I like soap. - Well, your mom used
to have to rinse your mouth out with soap a lot,
so the flavor would matter.
- That'’s true.
So you live in Rochester now. Is that where you grew up?
- Yes, this is where I grew up. - Okay.
- Born and raised. - Any kids?
- I have three kids. both: Wow.
- And what'’s up with your baby daddy?
- We'’re not together.
- Take us back, you know, five months ago
when you got this random phone call
and kind of how everything progressed from there.
- Okay, so I was selling my soaps and things like that.
And so every once in a while
I'’d--you know, I'’ll get a call, and I got a call from Jack.
I let it go to voicemail.
I texted him, and I wanted to know,
you know, like, if he had any inquiries.
He'’s so funny, he just started, like, kind of flirting with me,
and I thought it was funny, and I did it back.
- Wow. - What was--what was his line?
Like, "I'’m feeling really dirty?
Do you have any soap to clean me up?"
- Yeah, "I'’m a--I'’m a dirty boy."
- Yeah. - [laughs]
Can you tell us a little bit about him?
- He lives here in Rochester too.
- He lives in Rochester? - Wait. Time out.
Why haven'’t you guys met?
- He works a lot, and I'’m busy with my kids.
- Do you talk to him on the phone?
- No, we [indistinct].
- You'’ve only texted? - We only text.
- Yeah, but he called you once.
- Yeah, but she didn'’t answer.
You'’re a smart woman.
You know that that'’s pretty weird.
- That is weird, but at this point I'’ve fallen
for whoever I'’ve been talking to, honestly.
I'’m in love.
I am very emotionally invested in this relationship,
but lately he hasn'’t been texting me back,
and when he does, it'’s, like, late at night.
It makes me wonder,
"Am I the only person he'’s talking to?"
- You don'’t know Jack.
- [laughs]
- So clearly this is a situation
you need to fix.
- Yes, it is.
- We want a basket of soaps.
- We'’re just gonna let this whole story wash over us.
- [laughs]
Bye, Shawny. - We'’ll see you soon.
- Bye, guys.
- Oh, man.
I mean, what a--what a nice-- what a sweetheart.
- Not--not-- not looking good.
Yeah, she'’s gonna have her heart broken.
- She'’s amazing. - She'’s not gonna be smiling
at the end of this episode.
- Well, let'’s go to Rochester. - The Roc.
She'’s really caught between the Roc and a hard place.
- ♪ Things we did
♪ When we were young and evil
♪ And I have a heart
♪ I want to put to use
- Well, here we are in lovely Rochester.
- Shawny-- - Talking to Jack.
- Talking to Jack, and they live in the same city,
which is not good. - Never good.
- But to be fair, Shawny doesn'’t have a laptop.
She doesn'’t video chat with anybody.
- It'’s unusual.
Well, here we are.
[music fades out]
[doorbell rings]
- Oh. - Hi.
- Hey. - What'’s up?
- What'’s up? - Look at those eyes.
- Oh, you have green eyes. Irish Spring.
- Yes. - Am I allowed to say that?
It'’s a different kind of soap. - [laughs]
You guys want to come in? - Yeah.
- Let'’s find a place where we can get comfortable.
- The couch:
this is the one consistent set piece
in all episodes of "Catfish."
So you were with your ex up until when?
- Up until about March.
- Is this is kind of a relief now
that it'’s, like, kind of finally over?
- It hurts, but it'’s not as hurtful as it was
when I was in the situation.
He cheated on me.
He did all kinds of things.
He really hurt me.
- Are you still technically married?
- We'’re getting a divorce.
- So you get this random phone call
from some number you don'’t recognize.
- Yup. - So you text.
- He responded back, "What'’s up?"
and just talking and stuff,
and I was thinking, "Who is this?"
like, thinking it was a joke or whatever,
but I didn'’t really think it was too weird.
There was a man I used to have a talking relationship
with, this old guy.
- How did he get your number? - He thought
he was calling someone else.
- It could be him, and he could know
that you would know his voice.
[feeble voice] "Hi, Shawny."
- [laughs]
- [feeble voice] "It'’s your old friend."
- [laughs]
- [feeble voice] "I'’m in love with you.
I'’m dirty."
- [laughs]
"Bring me some soap."
- Can you tell us about Jack?
- J'’s everything that my husband wasn'’t.
- J? - J, I call him J.
He gives me the feelings like somebody'’s
actually paying attention to what you'’re saying.
I could tell that he'’s special.
- You guys haven'’t spoken on the phone.
- J could be a girl.
- I doubt it. - Do you only date men?
- At this point in my life,
I would date whoever showed me love.
If they treated me a certain type of way
and I found myself interested in them,
I might.
But J is not the person
that he was when I met him.
He doesn'’t respond the way he used to.
I have to kind of chase him for attention.
My biggest fear is that J is with someone.
I don'’t want to be the other woman.
My husband cheated on me.
I don'’t want to do that to anyone.
So I can'’t.
I can'’t be with him if he'’s with someone else,
so I really want to make sure that I love who I think I love.
- Can we see some of the messages
you guys send to each other?
Wow, look at this. Look at this screen.
- Jeez. - Oh, my God.
- I kind of love it, though. - How do I--
- You just scroll down. - That'’s the way it should be.
- I just can'’t believe you'’ve had this entire relationship
without emojis.
- I'’m so far behind with it.
- You said, "Hey, boy, I missed you."
He said, "I'’m sorry. I'’ve been a little busy.
Hopefully I can make it up to you somehow,"
and you said, "How do you plan on making it up to me?"
and then he said, "Oh, hopefully you'’ll see soon enough."
A little flirty. - Yeah.
- If he were dating someone else,
it'’d be messed-up of him
to continue talking to you in this way.
- Yeah.
I want who I fell in love with,
and I'’m really hoping that that'’s what I get.
- You'’re just tired of Jack [bleep].
- [laughs]
- All right, well, we have our job cut out for us for sure.
Let'’s get out of here.
- See you later. - So long, Shawny.
- Whoever this is could know her.
- Right.
- It'’s an inside job. - Right.
Why wouldn'’t they have met up? Why would he be so mysterious?
Why wouldn'’t he talk on the phone?
- If he turns out to not be who he says he is,
it'’s gonna really mess her up.
- Today will be interesting.
I mean, we have almost nothing to go on here.
So essentially, it has to be someone she knows.
Otherwise,
how would they have found her?
[upbeat music]
Okay, we'’re gonna make a big splash now.
- Splashy. - Here we go.
- Oh, boy. Oh! - Let'’s crack this case.
Hello. Wow, this place is cool. - Wow.
- All right. - Okay.
- For this investigation,
we need to go old-school.
- She doesn'’t use technology, so--
- We got to run--we got to run the numbers on this one.
What'’s the phone number?
What do we got, anything?
Any hits?
No, we'’re not getting any hits, Max.
I don'’t know what else to do.
All right.
We'’ve got an interesting story here.
Shawny'’s been married, had ups and downs.
He'’s cheated on her a lot.
They finally agreed to get a divorce.
Along comes Jack.
Problem is, they both live in Rochester.
They haven'’t met; can'’t even talk on the phone.
Her big concern is that Jack is in another relationship,
so first thing we need to do,
see if we can figure out who Jack is.
Second and maybe as important,
is Jack in a relationship with someone else?
All right, we got some photos,
so we can search. Are you ready?
- Yup. - Here it is.
- Here we go. - I don'’t think this is a hit.
- No. - Number two.
- Nope.
- Come on, dude. - All right, last one.
Nope.
- No luck on the pictures.
- So all we have is his phone number.
I think we got to run it.
- This better give us something.
No name.
Is that an address of where it'’s located?
- Is it the house on the right or the left?
Let'’s zoom in here.
- Enhance. Enhance. - And enhance. Okay.
- Oh, 28. - 28.
- What'’s the number on this house?
- 22.
Okay, let'’s look-- let'’s look those up.
Rochester, NY.
Wait a second.
Robert [bleep], 92?
Remember, she has that old guy
who used to call her all the time?
- That'’s true.
- Well, maybe it'’s the same guy,
and he figured out how to text.
- This is one technologically advanced old man.
- All right, let'’s see the other house.
- All right.
- Angel, a woman in her early 30s.
- All right, well. - Let'’s look that name up.
Oh, Angel in Rochester.
- Oh, we got one? Oh, in Rochester. Whoa.
- Hey. Studied medical assisting.
- All right, we got a nurse.
- Lives in Rochester. Here she is.
- Mm-hmm. - With a gay pride flag.
- It seems like she could be into women.
- Right.
- Which would point to her. - Maybe Shawny knows Angel.
- She does look clean, which means she uses soap.
[laughter]
- This is a very possible suspect.
We have to assume if they'’re not talking on the phone,
it'’s because they'’re not the gender they say they are.
The phone number is linked to that house.
That house is linked to this woman.
It would make sense why they haven'’t spoken on the phone.
- This woman could be linked. - This woman is of
the right sort of age
and potentially sexual orientation.
We should message Angel.
"Strange as it may seem,
we are making an episode of our TV show,
"Catfish," and your name came up.
We'’d love to speak with you and ask you a couple questions.
Please get back to me ASAP. Thanks."
- Time out.
My antennae are vibrating.
I think that we might be getting duped.
I'’m officially suspicious.
I think that Shawny might know who this is.
- Okay. - She might know this is Angel.
She was very, very open to it being a woman.
You know what I mean? Like, I--
- Is this a setup? - Could be a setup.
- For what, though? - There have been people
who'’ve come on the show,
but then it turned out that they knew the catfish all along.
You lied to the show so that you could come on
and then meet each other in person?
- Yeah.
- I generally am not one
for conspiracy theories,
but I'’ve got a gut feeling about this.
- All right.
- And I'’m--want to grill her.
- Great, so you can give her the third degree,
and maybe she'’ll tell us something,
or maybe she'’ll know something about one of these people.
- I'’m telling you, man, something is up.
- At this point anything'’s possible.
- Maybe before we share it all with her,
we should kind of apply a little pressure
and see what she does.
- All right, yeah.
I'’ll let you work--play bad cop.
- All right.
- Get your game face on.
[knocks]
- Hey. - Hi, guys.
- Hey.
- What'’s up?
- [sighs]
- Okay, Shawny, we need to have a real talk here.
- Yes.
- You'’ve seen the show. - Mm-hmm.
- There have been people who'’ve come on the show
who claim to have never met the person
that they ended up talking to.
- Okay.
- But then it turned out
that they knew them all along.
- Okay.
- Because this person is in Rochester--
- The story feels very--it'’s unusual.
- So I just want togive you
an opportunity now...
- Uh-huh.
- To let us know if by any chance you know
who this person already is that you'’re talking to.
- I wish I did.
That'’s why I called you guys.
I put myself out there to do this.
Coming on TV is gonna embarrass the hell out of me,
and I'’m really gonna be pissed off
if it'’s not the situation
that I'’ve thought that I'’ve had for the last five months.
I'’m not, you know, one of those type of people
to even put myself out there like that,
so this is kind of huge.
- Okay. Real talk over.
- Max is very suspicious.
We'’ve been duped before. That'’s why.
- Yeah.
- All right, so let me show
you what we found.
We looked up his phone number. - Okay.
- This is interesting because even though it
doesn'’t know who the phone number
is registered to, it has a little pin on a map.
- Yeah. - So when we zoom in,
it'’s actually pointing at two houses.
- Uh-huh.
- And so you can see this is number 22.
- Okay. - And this house is number 28.
- Okay. - So then we thought, "Okay,
let'’s look up these houses and see who lives there."
- Yeah.
- 28 was the first one on the left.
It looks like Robert [bleep]
owns it or lives there presently.
- Okay. - Do you know the name of
the old man who used to call you?
- I think he said his name was, like, George or something.
- H--any idea how old he was or?
- No, he just sounded really old.
- Like, really old?
- Like, at least grandpa times two old.
- Robert [bleep] is 92.
- Grandfather times two. - Yeah.
- You used to get a lot of phone calls
from a very old dude.
- Yeah, I did.
- So is it possible that the old man
who used to call you missed you
and decided to start texting you?
Do you think that--I mean, is that possible?
- Possibly. - It'’s--it'’s a possibility.
- That'’s what we got when we looked up one of the addresses.
- Okay.
- Now, check out what happened when we ran the other one.
- Uh-huh. - This one comes back registered
to someone named Angel.
- My husband used to work with someone named Angel.
- Really? - Yeah.
- Well, doing what? - When he was working, like,
at a part in the hospital.
- A man or a woman? - It was a woman.
- So then we looked up Angel.
Here'’s a woman who, again, lives in Rochester.
- Mm-hmm.
- She looks to be about the right age,
and do you--have you ever seen this woman before?
- No. - Throughout her profile photos
there have been a number of references
to gay pride and the LGBT flag.
- Okay. - So we thought maybe
that would explain
why you can'’t talk on the phone.
- Yeah. - Because you'’d hear that
she has a female'’s voice.
- Okay. Under Angel'’s information,
it says she studied medical assisting.
- That'’s right. - Oh, that'’s crazy.
- So it'’s possible she would have worked at a hospital.
- Yeah, true.
- Well, how would you feel if it turned out
you were talking to a 30-something-year-old woman?
- I would be shocked, I guess,
'’cause that'’s not what I imagined.
- Right, but yesterday-- - I mean, I know. Like, I n--
- It didn'’t matter.
- I would like to meet whoever it is.
I'’m just a little surprised.
- Well, it could be this woman,
or it could be someone this woman knows.
Could be that old man you used to talk to.
I mean, there'’s a ton of people that it could be.
- Maybe your ex created the Jack character to tie
you up and distract you
so that you don'’t meet another guy.
- I highly doubt it because he didn'’t see me
as being attractive, as he was always cheating.
That'’s why I don'’t think that it would be him.
- I think we should wait, see if we hear back from Angel.
- Okay.
- And at the very least we'’ll meet back up in the morning,
and we'’ll assess, you know, how we want to proceed.
I don'’t think she'’s lying to us.
- I don'’t either.
- Her ex worked with
someone named Angel at a hospital.
- And Angel went to school for--
both: Medical assistance. - Or something, I know.
- And the phone number brings us to Angel.
- This guy she'’s been in love with is probably a woman.
- She doesn'’t see that, but we know.
- Did you get any--
- I don'’t know. - How have you not checked?
- I left--this stuff was in your room. Let'’s see.
- Well, did we get anything?
- Let'’s see. Angel may have responded.
Oh, well, we didn'’t get any messages.
- Well, that'’s disappointing. - So it means
we'’re basically exactly
where we left off yesterday. - We got nothing.
All we have is Jack'’s phone number.
Make that call.
Is this your pre-catfish call stretch?
- Mm-hmm, I got to get loosened up.
- Uh-huh, be flexible to see which way that they--
- You never know what they'’re gonna throw at you,
and you got to be able to--
All right. Let'’s go.
[line trilling]
- I'’m sorry, but the person you called has a voice mailbox
that has not been set up yet. - Should I leave a message?
- You can'’t. - Oh, all right.
- So text Jack.
- "Hey, is this Jack?
"This is Nev from the TV show, '’Catfish.'’
Have you heard of it?"
His response could take a little longer.
- Text messaging without doing something else
is the most boring activity in the world.
You always have to be multitasking
when you'’re text messaging.
[phone chimes] - Oh.
"This is Jack. Yes, I'’ve heard of it."
"I'’m reaching out"--
- On behalf of--
- "On behalf of your friend"--
- Shawny. - "Shawny.
"We wanted to know if you would
be interested in meeting her."
[phone chimes, Nev gasps]
"I really do want to meet her, but I'’m afraid.
I haven'’t been completely honest."
- No [bleep].
- "I'’m divorced."
So there'’s a big part of his life
that he never told her about.
"The thing she is most worried about
is that she is your side chick."
"Shawny is the only woman in my life.
"Meet me at a park by where I live.
I'’ll text you the address."
- All right, let'’s g--
I mean, let'’s not waste any time.
They might change their mind.
- Yeah.
- Good news,
there is no other woman in the picture.
- If we believe Jack. - Fingers crossed.
- Hello? - Hello.
- Hey. - How are you guys?
- Good.
We tried calling Jack but no voicemail.
- Okay. - So then I texted.
The two big questions we had were,
"Are you involved with someone else?"
- Right. - To which they answered,
"Shawny is the only woman in my life."
- Okay. - So that was good.
However--
- There'’s more to Jack'’s story.
- Jack said,
"There are some things Shawny doesn'’t know.
I'’ve been divorced."
- Okay. - I guess you didn'’t know that.
- No. - That didn'’t seem like it
would be a deal breakerfor you.
- No, but he never told me that before.
- He hasn'’t told you anything. - Right.
- He hasn'’t told you his last name.
He hasn'’t told you where he works.
- Right. He gave this address
for some park not too far from here
where he wants to meet us.
- Okay.
- You got butterflies, don'’t you?
- Yeah. I'’m really nervous.
I mean, I'’m ready.
I'’m definitely ready to do this.
- Well, then we should go.
♪
Oh, boy.
- It'’s, like, a 50/50 chance that this is a woman.
You know that?
- I feel like even if that'’s the case, I'’m ready for it.
Honestly, I feel like I'’m willing to forgive
just like I want to be forgiven, so--
- Forgive you? For what?
- Um, I just took, you know,
some pictures that I would want, and I used that.
♪
- Wait, you sent Jack pictures of someone else?
- Yeah. - You lied to Jack.
- Wait, so you sent Jack pictures of someone else?
- Yeah. - [laughs]
- I mean, I don'’t know. I don'’t know him like that,
so I wanted to make sure that, you know, like--
- Well, yeah, but you lied to Jack.
- I didn'’t lie per se.
- You--you did lie.
- You catfished this guy.
- Did I? - Yes.
- Yeah. - You are just as much--
- I don'’t think so. - You did.
- Yes. - You'’ve bent the truth.
- But I told him about me.
- Right, but that'’s what everybody says.
- The only thing is that I didn'’t look--
- Right, that'’s what everyone says,
"It just wasn'’t me in the pictures,
but everything elseis me."
- Guys, here it is, Durand.
- "Everything else is really true."
- We'’re approaching the park.
- But what if he'’s nothing like he said?
- Well, you'’re nothing like the pictures you sent.
You can'’t justify sending pictures of someone else.
- Right, so I do have to say that.
- So you'’re gonna have to clear that up.
- Yeah.
- Unbelievable.
[suspenseful music]
All right.
- You okay? - Yeah.
- I think we should just get out and wait for the guy--
- Okay.
- Girl, whatever they are. - Yeah.
- He could be hiding behind any of these trees.
Jack? Is that you? - [laughs]
- No, I guess not.
We have a good vantage point from here.
- This is so real.
Wow.
- Is someone in this Chevy?
Nope.
A lot of, uh...
stuff going on here.
This is a great spot to lure someone
that you'’ve met on the internet.
- What are you waiting for?
- [laughs]
- Whoa, here'’s someone.
False alarm.
[suspenseful music]
Oh.
- What?
- We got someone on a bike.
Definite suspect. - That'’s a first.
I'’m feeling this biker.
Wait, that looks like the guy in the picture.
- It kind of does, right?
♪
- Oh, wait. He'’s dismounted.
- That does look like the guy from the picture.
[suspenseful music]
♪
- Do you know this person?
You know this person?
- Do you know this person?
- Yes.
- You'’re in trouble.
Someone'’s lying.
- It'’s your ex-husband?
[bleep].
- No way. - [sighs]
Is it really?
- Unbelievable.
So you werelying to us.
- You didcatfish us.
♪
- Hey, I'’m Nev.
Why don'’t you just tell us what'’s going on?
- Did you know it was her?
- No, not until I got, like,
to right by this tree right here.
- No. - I didn'’t--I thought, like,
this was gonna be a first-time meeting.
I--that'’s why
I'’m--I'’m wondering, like, "What'’s going on?"
- But didn'’t she tell you her name--
via the texts, didn'’t she say,
"Oh, my name is Shawny?"
- I said my name is Shawny.
- This is not Shawny.
[dramatic music]
- I don'’t understand.
- What'’s your name? - Ebony.
- Your name is not Shawny?
- No.
- Why wouldn'’t you tell us that?
- Because I thought that you guys wouldn'’t help me.
- Help you do what?
- Try to get my family back together.
♪
- You didcatfish us.
- You were right! - I was right!
Kind of.
- What the hell'’s going on here?
- Well, it all started
when I got a new phone,
and I called Brandon.
- Is that your actual name?
- Yeah.
- He didn'’t answer the phone,
but he texted back later
that night trying to see who I was.
He told me his name was Jack.
- Why didn'’t you just say your name?
- I didn'’t know who it was.
I'’m not about to just give anybody my real name.
- I didn'’t tell him who I was.
♪
- I just want to get this straight.
So you got a new phone--
- Yeah. - Called Brandon.
But you didn'’t answer. - No.
- You then texted, "Who is this?"
That'’s how this all started?
- Yeah.
We weren'’t talking at the time.
We were in the process of separating then.
- Wait, so hold on, and what did you think for five months
when you couldn'’t get this girl on the phone?
- She said she--she was doing music, so I figured, like,
maybe--and she talked about traveling a lot, so I figured--
- You--"Shawny" was doing music and traveling a lot.
You took every chapter out of the catfish book.
- Well, he catfished me, and I catfished him back.
- When did he catfish you?
- '’Cause he told me his name was Jack.
- That'’s because you'’re some stranger
hitting him up on--you know?
- Yeah.
- Time out.
Ebony, you did all this stuff.
- Yeah. - You lied to us.
You lied to Brandon.
You lied and cheated your way here for what?
- I felt like I didn'’t know what else to do.
Honestly, we were living in the same house,
and we weren'’t even talking to one another,
and the kids would see that all the time,
and I just thought, like, maybe he could talk to me
as a differentperson.
How is it that you can just maintain for five months being,
like, the perfect person ever just about,
and, like, for 16 years
you couldn'’t even get it together?
Like...
why can'’t we do that as Brandon and Ebony?
I don'’t want to have to be somebody else to be loved.
- So did you catfish us and him
in order to force this conversation?
'’Cause you could have had this conversation with him
without us theoretically.
- I'’ve tried, but we just argue,
and it made it worse.
It made everything worse.
- Okay, so it'’s not my business,
and I'’m not trying to be a marriage counselor here,
but we were under the impression
from her side of the story
that you had been involved with one
or some other people.
- He'’s been with all of Rochester.
♪
- She felt that your eyes were drifting elsewhere
for a long time. - I look at everybody.
I mean, I'’m looking at you all.
I feel like everybody out here
is beautiful, you know what I mean?
It'’s--look at the scenery, you know?
I look at a lot of stuff, but that don'’t mean
I'’m--like, I love trees. I love animals.
I don'’t have sex with them, but we would be little--
- In regards to women-- - I love women.
- Do you? - I mean, I don'’t see,
like, why no one would love women.
- Right - Even women should love women.
- Yes. - I--that'’s how I feel.
- What do you want,though?
Do you want to try to work this out?
- Yeah, like, anything can be worked out.
I don'’t see why not.
Just not no compromise, like,
some things I feel can'’t be compromised on.
I mean, every relationship ain'’t got to be the same.
I'’d rather have, like,
more--more of a freedom type of a thing,
like, you know what I mean?
I'’m speaking a little vague,
but I think she understands what I'’m talking about.
- He wants to have his cake and eat it too.
- Yeah.
- I'’d never agree with that expression.
I'’d never agree with that. Ain'’t no reason to have cake
if you'’re gonna have it sitting in front of you.
I'’m gonna eat it, and if it'’s offered again,
I'’m gonna get another piece.
- Well, so here--so here'’s the question, okay?
Clearly you guys still have love for each other.
- Yeah, we do. - And you still desire
a family together.
- I want to be with him,
but I don'’t want to keep being played.
- That doesn'’t sound like you want to be in a relationship
with someone who'’s constantly sleeping with other people.
- No, unless we'’re both sleeping with other people.
I want to be in a equal relationship.
- Do you want to be sleeping with other people?
- Yeah, if he'’s not sleeping with me.
- No, no, no, no, no.
Do you want to sleep with other people?
- No. - No, which means that ideally,
you don'’t want him sleeping with other people.
- Right.
- I just want to give
each of you a chance to say
how you'’re feeling not in front of each other for a second.
Is that cool if we just, like, walk over here?
Obviously you have a family.
- Yeah. - And you don'’t want
to upset her and create more drama.
- Right. - So, you know, we thought
she was getting catfished by somebody
who obviously was not being honest.
- Right.
- We should have been helping you find out who she was.
- Yeah, '’cause--I mean,
I should have asked more questions, obviously.
- Right.
- It'’s like, I didn'’t have nobody to talk to.
Like, it felt different.
Like, I was happy to have it.
- Right.
- But, like, now, like,
I don'’t know what the hell I have.
- We'’ve been together for so long,
I don'’t know how to let him go.
[sighs]
That'’s the hardest thing ever.
- When you'’ve been with only one person your whole life,
I can imagine it'’s probably the hardest thing to do.
- I don'’t know what it'’s like to be on my own,
and it'’s scary.
But the truth is,though,
I don'’t know what I want.
- Hey, Max.
Let'’s all talk again tomorrow.
You guys each have some thinking to do.
- Nice to meet you. See you tomorrow.
- All right, we'’ll text you
and figure out a time tomorrow that works to meet up.
- All right. See you tomorrow.
- Bye.
- All right, well, let'’s get out of here.
- My head is spun.
[melancholy music]
♪
- Oh, man. - Jesus.
I'’m never trusting anyone again.
- We asked you point-blank.
- We grilled you point-blank,
and you were totally cool, calm, and collected.
- I'’m still the same person.
I'’m the person that was talking to you guys.
It'’s just-- - You--you lied to me.
[melancholy music continues]
♪
Real talk, I don'’t understand
why you don'’t dump this [bleep] guy.
- I--I don'’t know. - I understand
he'’s the father to your kids,
but he'’s shown you no real respect.
He doesn'’t really want to be with you.
'’Cause he wants to have sex with these other girls.
So, like, at some point you'’ve got to--
- '’Cause I'’m almost-- - Like, where does your own
self-love kick in over your love for him?
- I do love myself. - Well, at some point,
you'’re gonna have to choose between yourself
and your love for him.
[melancholy music continues]
- ♪ Underneath my skin
♪ And you'’re the one for me ♪
- Who am I talking to?
- [laughs] - Oh, okay.
Do you think you'’d be interested in sitting down
to kind of talk about all this?
- We'’ll come over. We'’ll invite Brandon over,
and we'’ll all wrap this up.
- All right.
- Oh, just head right in. - All right. Hey.
- Hey. - What'’s up? How you doing?
- Good, how are you? - Good.
- How are you? - How you doing?
- Good.
[knock at door] - Oh.
- Hey. - Hello.
- Come in.
- Hey, man.
- Yo. What'’s up? - How you doing?
- Good to see you. - Good to see you.
- So how you feeling?
- I'’m feeling all right.
Yesterday I didn'’t want to admit it,
but I was pretty upset.
I didn'’t expect Ebony to be Shawny,
and I definitely wanted to say some things to make her
just as upset as I was.
Like, this wasn'’t something, like, that was,
like, uh...
I didn'’t really grow up
expressing myself talking, so.
- This is a difficult conversation for anybody
to have with a girlfriend
of six months or partner of 16 years.
I mean, this is a tough conversation.
- I'’m not mad at you about anything.
I'’m not holding anything against you.
I always loved you ever since we was little.
- I always loved you too.
- I shouldn'’t have had to do this.
And I see now, like,
I was trying to hold on to something
I knew wasn'’t there,
but for some reason I thought I was gonna fix it.
I know I didn'’t really think it all through
like I should have,
and I'’m sorry.
- I accept your apology.
I'’m definitely sorry for a lot of stuff.
There'’s been too much, too many years, so.
- I don'’t think that it would be
the most healthiest thing to keep doing this.
- You always been a good friend to me,
and you ended up being two friends to me,
and I definitely appreciate that.
Honestly, I probably caused all this.
I have a lot of regrets,
and I definitely got to think about working on myself.
- I think we should have did this before.
It would have been so much easier,
but maybe it just needed to be like this.
I'’m so sorry.
Thanks.
This is what we needed.
- Glad we could help.
Sounds like you'’re all on the same page
with what you want right now.
- Yeah. - Yes.
- You got plenty of things to worry about,
but hopefully being able to call each other
and talk isn'’t one of them.
- No.
- All right, guess that'’s it for us.
- Yes. All right, thank you. - Give me a hug.
- Thank you so much. Thank you. - Thank you.
- Yeah, dude.
- Thank you.
- Thank you. - [laughs]
Thank you, guys.
- All right, so we'’ll get out of your way.
- Okay.
- Have a good weekend with your--with your kids.
- Good luck. - Thank you.
- Bye.
[melancholy music]
[line trilling]
both: Hey!
- How are you? - Good, how are you guys?
- Look at that hair. Is that--That'’s a new '’do, huh?
- Yes. - It looks great.
- Thank you.
- So tell us, how has everything been since we saw you?
- Everything has been awesome. - Awesome.
- I think it has a lot to do with "Catfish."
Brandon and I figured out a way that we could be together
and do stuff with the kids. - Hi.
- Hi, Dad.
- So you and Brandon are still separated?
- Yeah, we'’re not together.
- But you'’re spending time together
and he'’s more involved with the kids now?
- Yes, he spends a lot more time with the kids now.
- Oh. - [laughs] Whoa.
- He even takes them out and plans.
It'’s like a whole different thing.
- Dad! - Ah!
- [giggling, squealing]
- Brandon and the kids have a closer relationship now.
They'’re happy to be able to spend more time with him.
Everything'’s completely changed.
Thank you.
Did you want any eggs? - Eh--no, thank you.
- Are you happy you did the show?
- Hell, yeah.
- That'’s a strong answer. - Wow.
- The experience helped us get things off of our chest
that we were, like, just holding in.
Kind of cleared the air for us to just be normal now.
- I hungry. I hungry.
- So if you guys are on good terms,
do you mind if we add him into this conversation?
- Actually, he'’s here. Brandon.
- Hey-o! - Hey!
- It'’s really nice to see you guys sitting with each other,
smiling and laughing. This is great.
- Brandon, how have things been for you since the episode ended?
- I'’ve been focusing on, you know, putting more time
in at work, cooking and everything.
I improved a burger, a way to keep it juicy.
I think you will love it, but I can'’t tell you how to do it.
I definitely can'’t tell you how. It'’s my secret.
Order up. [bell dings]
Been spending more time with the family,
getting along with Ebony. [chuckles]
- And do you miss Shawny?
[both laughing]
- That'’s true. - [laughs]
[both laugh]
- Well, it sounds like you guys are both doing well;
the kids are happy; you'’re happy.
I can'’t believe this weird, twisted
situation untangled itself into a beautiful bow.
And I assume if you guys are both in the same place,
that means your kids are there too, right?
- Yeah. - Can we say--
- Wanna see? - Yeah, I wanna say hi.
- You guys wanna meet Max and Nev?
All right.
- Hey. - Oh, my goodness.
- Look at all these kids.
- I got a question for the kids here.
Does your dad make a good burger?
Thumbs up, or thumbs down?
- Thumbs up.
- Brandon, you can'’t give yourself a thumbs up.
[laughter]
- All right, guys. Have a great weekend.
all: Thank you! Bye! - Bye, guys.