Catfish: The TV Show (2012–…): Season 6, Episode 4 - Telizza & Shai - full transcript
18-year-old Telizza became bi-curious when her online friendship with Shai turned romantic. Frustrated by several failed attempts to video chat, Telizza has turned to Nev and Max to uncover the truth.
- Is it so important
that you meet Shai
that it'’s worth coming out?
- Are you hoping to get
a girlfriend?
- Shai!
She said,
"Are you really coming today?"
Yes,
we'’re really coming.
Heading to the airport now.
Whoa, whoa, whoa!
- You kidding?
- Should we not
get on this plane?
[dramatic musical sting]
I miss these things.
That'’s still--
That'’s what you'’re missing
from cell phones.
- They make
something like that.
- I know, but there'’s still
nothing as satisfying
as the--
[snaps]
Or the--
[slams]
- You'’re right.
- Hello?
Good-bye!
[slams]
- I said good-bye!
- Those are the two best things
of a conversation.
- Ay-oh!
All right. I see an email.
- Wow!
It says,
"Hi, Nev and Max.
"My name is Telizza,
"and I live in Chicago,
Illinois,
born and raised."
- Do you think
she'’s thin-crust Telizza?
Or she'’s probably
deep-dish Telizza
because she'’s in Chicago?
- "Telizza" does not sound
like "pizza."
- No, but
it'’s spelled like "pizza."
- No, it just
has two Zs and an A.
- I see the word "plaza,"
and I think of "pizza."
I see Mike Piazza,
I think of pizza.
It doesn'’t take much.
If I see an I, Z, Z, A,
I will always think of pizza.
- Right, right.Exactly.
- Okay.
- Telizza says,
"I'’m 18 years old
"and just graduated
high school this year.
"Getting through the last year
was probably
"the most stressful time
of my life.
"I ended a four-year
relationship with my boyfriend.
"He was not faithful.
"It took a long time to realize
that I deserved better,
"and I could not have done that
"without a friend like Shai.
She reminded me that
I was worthy of much better."
- Is this a friend catfish?
- I don'’t know.
"It all started
a year and a half ago
when Shai sent me
a random inbox."
- ♪ Beware, kid
is what they used to say ♪
"I was really depressed,
but Shai snapped me out of it.
"Shai would always know
what to say
and give me
words of encouragement."
- ♪ You make me feel alive,
alive, alive, alive ♪
- "She was my coach,
my best friend, and my diary.
She knows everything
about me."
- ♪ You make me feel alive
- "My friend thought
there was something fishy
"about Shai'’s profile.
"She called Shai a catfish,
"which I thought
was ridiculous.
"But after a few months,
"I noticed that Shai was dodging
a lot of personal questions
"and making excuses
not to video-chat.
"I couldn'’t put aside
my suspicions.
"If I keep pushing her
for answers,
"she'’ll probably
just unfriend me.
"I don'’t want to lose her.
I need your help
to figure out this girl Shai."
- This sounds like
the catfish for good.
- Well,
the issue here is--
is it possible
that Shai is someone
that Telizza
actually knows,
who now has all
of this very sensitive
material and information
about her,
who could potentially
at some point in the future
blackmail her?
- W-wow.
That'’s a big theory.
- Anyway, look...
- Okay.
- She needs our help.
Let'’s see what
this girl has to say.
[line trilling]
- Hey!
- Yo!
[laughs]
- Telizza.
- Is that how you say it?
- Yeah.
- You better have
some deep-dish Telizza
waiting for us.
- Good, you'’ve got
the concept of my name.
It actually
did come from pizza.
- What?
- It did?
- You were named
after pizza?
No.
- Yes!
[both laughing]
- My dad told me he was
at the hospital with my mom,
and he was so hungry,
so he had ordered some pizza.
He looked at the box,
he said, "Mm...
I'’ll take the P off
and put T-E-L."
- You just told the world
the greatest name-origin
story ever.
Amazing.
- So tell us about Shai.
- It started
last year'’s summer.
What made me drawn to Shai
was the fact that she was
bold with the inbox,
because she didn'’t know if,
you know, I liked girls or--
- Wait. Time-out.
So Shai hit you up
because she was into you?
- When she first inboxed me,
it wasn'’t like that.
But as time go,
heart-wise,
it turned into more romance.
- And are you
into the ladies?
- That'’s why
I'’m talking to you guys.
- Okay. Okay.
- Oh.
- Now I--
- So this is--
so this is not just about,
"Who is this girl, my friend,
that'’s catfishing me?"
- Yes.
- Got it.
- Do you love Shai?
- Yes, I do.
- What do you love
about Shai?
- She was there, open ears,
and she didn'’t judge me,
no matter what I told her.
I just want to know...
and for sure,
that it'’s her and that
we haven'’t been keeping
anything from each other.
- So what do you know
about her?
- She live with her mom,
and she live
in Kansas City, Missouri,
but after that,
nothing else.
She never wanted
to talk about herself.
- Is Shai
the same age as you?
- She told me she was 17.
- So have you tried to do any
of the investigating that we do?
- Well...
She was like,
"Oh, let'’s just
take her picture
and put it on Google."
- And did you find anything?
- No.
- This is a really big deal
that you'’re coming out
and saying that you are,
in fact, attracted
to this woman,
and interested in pursuing
a relationship,
that'’s very brave
of you to do.
So thank you for trusting us
to help you
through this big step
in your life.
- Thank you.
- Will Shai be bae,
or will Shai be cray?
- I hope she be bae!
[all laughing]
- All right.
Well, we will see you
really soon.
- I'’m so excited.
- All right, we are too.
both: Bye.
- Bye.
- Let'’s go!
- I think
it'’s someone she knows.
- She'’s really putting herself
on the line here.
- All right,Chicago.
- You'’re gonna be cold
without your jacket.
- It'’s still summer.
- Nope.
Are we going Chi-Town
or Shai-town?
- ♪ We are the wolves
at play ♪
♪ We are the ones that sing
that you'’re gonna be okay ♪
- All right,
beautiful Chicago.
- ♪ And the vibe we bring...
- Not that much wind
in the Windy City.
- Why are you wearing
that jacket?
- There is a 30% chance
of precipitation,
and I will not
take that chance.
- All you need
is an umbrella.
- ♪ We are the ones that sing
that you'’re gonna be okay ♪
[dog barking,
ball bouncing]
- Oh, I see someone,
but it'’s not Telizza.
Hey. Anyone there?
both: Whoa!
- Hi!
- Hey!
- What'’s up?
We saw you through the window.
We thought we were
at the wrong house.
- I know, right?
- Telizza.
- You like, "Who is that?"
- [chuckles]
- Who is that?
- Hi! It'’s Antonese.
- This my friend Antonese.
- Oh, the famous Antonese.
- You'’re Antonese.
- Yes, and you'’re Nev.
- Hey.
- Suspect number one
in potentially being Shai.
- In our case.
[both laughing]
- They funny.
- We already nailed it.
- You didn'’t nail it
this time.
- All right, well, invite us in.
- Come on in.
- You guys can come in.
- All right.
[light music]
- So you guys met
in high school?
both: Yeah.
- Our freshman year.
- And you were
the friend who said,
"I think
she could be a catfish."
- Yeah. Yeah.
- [chuckling]
- Right.
- Soon as she showed me,
I'’m like, "Girl...
- You got bit.
- This is a catfish."
I watch too much
of this show,
and I know this girl
a catfish.
She like,
"No, she ain'’t."
So she kept talking to her
and talking to her.
- She'’s super hot?
- She'’s probably
like a eight,
and I'’m like,
"Whoa, she is cute, TT."
- You think
that she'’s cute.
- Yeah.
- Oh.
- Yeah.
- Oh, okay. Well, I don'’t know.
- Yeah.
- You feel a certain way
towards a certain person,
I mean, you should go for it.
- I love it.
Your generation'’s attitude
towards sexuality now is
so free, which is great,
It'’s like, "I don'’t know.
I like whoever I like."
- Can we see
what she looks like?
- This girl'’s hot.
- Yeah, right.
- Stripper.
- She'’s a stripper?
- That'’s what it say
"she works."
- This is her, right?
- Yeah.
- What?
- Oh, that'’s not--
- Wait. Time-out.
Too much information at once.
Shai is a stripper?
- Well, that'’s what
it says on her Facebook.
- Wait a second.
It'’s very unlikely
she'’s working as a dancer
at a adult nightclub
if she'’s under 18.
Was her friend tagged?
- No.
- That'’s what I was saying.
Like, she has no tagged
people on her page,
like, no family on there.
- There'’s definitely a lot
of red flags here, for sure.
- The reason why I was, like,
investigating Shai, though,
was because
I was real jealous
because she'’s telling Shai
all of this stuff,
and she not telling me.
Like, she not talking
to me anymore,
so I was, like,
kind of upset.
- I was a little,
you know...
vulnerable, depressed.
- Because your long-term
boyfriend--that ended.
- Yeah, because
he wasn'’t truthful.
You know, I needed
somebody to listen to me.
If I wasn'’t, like,
really texting her,
she'’d get mad.
Be so mad.
It made me
feel loved again.
- Do you have
your messages?
- Yeah.
- Here we go.
Shai Hunter.
Whoa!
"I want to go [bleep] on you,
and then [bleep]."
- Whoa!
Can we show
that on our show?
[all laughing]
- Okay, so hold on a second.
All right, so she said,
"I need you to know
"that I really...
"deeply love you, Telizza,
and I'’ll do anything
to be with you."
You guys definitely
have something going on.
There'’s a lot of heart eyes--
- Yeah.
- And a lot of feelings.
- Right.
- You hoping to get
a girlfriend?
- Yeah.
I don'’t know.
♪
- I just hope it'’s not--
[laughs]
I just hope it'’s not, like,
somebody completely different.
I'’m just gonna be, like,
"What the--"
That'’s my biggest fear.
[sniffles]
- Don'’t cry, TT.
Okay?
Look, it'’s okay.
Okay?
It'’s okay.
- [sniffles]
- It'’s okay.
- You guys have
a nice friendship.
both:
Thank you.
- My last relationship was,
like, really hard for me.
[sniffles]
So she knew what
I'’ve been through, and she--
I feel like she'’s taking me
through a little bit too much.
- Is it so important
that you meet Shai
that it'’s worth kind of
coming out to everyone watching?
- Yeah.
It'’s very important to me.
Like...
I thought about this a lot.
I haven'’t even told my mom.
But in order to live my life
how I want to,
I got to first admit it.
♪
- Hopefully we'’ll
come up with something
and we'’ll be
one step closer
towards getting you
face-to-face.
- Okay.
- It'’s gonna be
a tough couple of days.
- It'’s gonna be
A-okay, girl.
- But you'’ve got your friend
here to make you feel better.
- [sighs happily]
- Come on, Max.
- [chuckling]
- [groans]
- [chuckling]
♪
- She'’s really
in love with Shai.
- Can you imagine
falling in love with a girl
for the first time
and not knowing
how to talk about it
because you don'’t know
if she'’s real,
even though
your feelings are real?
- Oh, man, I hope
it doesn'’t end up
the way I think
it'’s gonna end up.
- All right,
so Telizza--
She had a long relationship
in high school for four years.
- He was cheating on her,
she stayed with him,
and then eventually
they broke up.
She was super demoralized.
- Yeah.
- Downward spiral,
and then, boom,
Shai inboxes her
on her Facebook page,
and quickly things escalate,
and it becomes
kind of a more
intimate relationship.
She'’s questioning
her sexuality.
- Coming out'’s
a big step forward.
- Coffee house.
- Oh, yeah.
Perfect.
[suspenseful music]
- Good morning.
- Welcome.
♪
- Telizza sent us an email
with everything she has.
"Hey, Nev and Max...
♪
"I attached a photo
she sent me too.
All the other pics are
on her Facebook."
- Let'’s do
the photos first,
and let'’s prove or disprove
that she is
the girl in the photo.
- Okay, searching the pics.
- Searching the pics.
♪
Oh!
- Number two.
Nope.
- She posted
a lot of pictures.
♪
Come on, I feel good
about this one.
Something?
- No.
- All right.
So we had no luck
on the pictures.
So we struck out.
- All right, I think we got
to search the phone number.
Come on.
♪
Caney, Kansas.
That'’s nowhere
near Missouri.
- We got a hit
for a landline.
- Owner name
not available.
- So this is
a text phone number.
So her text app area code
is from Kansas and not...
both:
Missouri.
- But she'’s supposed to be
from Missouri.
- All right,
so let'’s go to...
Shai Hunter.
Perfect, okay.
Here'’s Shai'’s profile.
- A lot of selfies,
no one tagged--
classic catfish.
- August 17th,
which was not that long ago,
she said she started working
at the Temptations bar,
which is in Kansas City,
Missouri.
- It'’s kind of like
a stripper bar.
- So do you want
to call them?
- It'’s our best lead
right now.
[line trilling]
- Hey, good morning.
Uh, just wondering if Shai is
on the schedule
today or tonight.
- Why not just ask
if Shai works there?
'’Cause she might not be
on tonight.
- She'’s more likely to give us
an answer if it'’s--
if I'’m calling
about coming in to enjoy
the performance
of a favorite dancer.
- Hi.
Shai Hunter is her name.
I was wondering
if she'’s working.
Would that be because...
she goes under a different
name when she dances?
All right, well,
thank you very much.
Okay.
If that'’s the most recent place
she says she'’s worked,
that calls into question
whether or not she even
lives in Missouri.
Shai'’s Facebook page has
all of the telltale signs
of a fake.
- So she'’s got
a bogus Facebook page,
and she works
at a bogus strip club?
- Right. Her phone number
is from a weird state.
- Bogus textPlus number.
- Yeah.
- Shai bogus.
- Yeah.
- Go to Shai'’s friends.
Whitney, Malic.
- Isaac, Christina.
Neicy [bleep].
- Oh, wait.
Neicy is Antonese.
- Very interesting.
- Yeah.
Mm.
Troubling.
Can it not be Antonese?
- I still think
that'’s a possibility.
- I mean, like, she'’s--
it'’s right under our nose.
It'’s, like, it'’s so obvious
that it could be her.
- She admitted
that she was jealous
when Telizza started talking--
- She'’s into girls.
- I think what we need to do now
is bring Telizza...in,
show her that, unfortunately,
we don'’t have much to go off of.
- I mean, Antonese
should not be ruled out.
- No.
- So I go back
to my original statement
that Antonese is
suspect number one.
- Hey, good morning, Telizza.
We'’re at this coffee shop
called Funky Java.
Got an update for you.
Bye.
[door bells jingle]
- Hey.
- Hi.
- How you feeling?
- Better.
- Let'’s be real for a second.
- [chuckles]
- Do you think
there'’s a chance...
that Antonese is into you?
- No.
- Really?
- Yeah.
My family think that.
- So your family thinks
Antonese likes you?
- Yeah.
- Like, more than a friend?
- Yeah.
I don'’t think that.
- There is a way to read
her care for you
as, like,
maybe she feels guilty
that she'’s put you
through this,
and when she sees you
crying,
she, like, really wants
to soothe you
because she'’s Shai...
- She feels guilty.
- And she'’s put you
through this.
- And we found out
Antonese
and Shai are
Facebook friends.
Does that come as a surprise?
- No.
- Because she wanted to do
some investigating?
- Yeah.
- Well, we don'’t have any
evidence that it is Antonese.
- We don'’t have
a clear conclusion.
- Right.
- It could be anybody.
- So we thought it best to just
kind of walk you through...
- Right.
- What we found.
- Why don'’t you just
swing around a little?
- Scooch.
We searched every photo,
and nothing showed up,
which is not unusual.
- But it'’s pretty ra--
I mean,
for that many photos,
it'’s kind of weird
that nothing came up.
- All right, so,
when we look at her page,
it says she works
at Temptations,
a strip club.
It'’s in Kansas City,
Missouri,
which is where she said
she lives.
- Right.
- So we...
called, and...
they don'’t have a Shai
who works there.
I mean, at the very least,
I think you have to be 18...
- Right.
- To work
at an adult nightclub.
- It'’s crazy.
- So that...
means she definitely lied
about how old she was,
or she'’s lying
about working here.
- Right.
- Maybe her name'’s not Shai.
So we know she'’s lying...
about something here.
The only other real,
hard evidence that you had
is her phone number.
We searched
the phone number...
and the area code is actually
from the state of Kansas,
not Missouri.
- Oh.
- And this a text app
phone number.
- Why would Shai,
if she lives in Missouri,
set up a text app number
from Kansas instead of Missouri?
- I'’m confused.
- Yeah, we'’re
kind of confused too.
We don'’t really have
any answers.
Could be anyone.
- Or it could be Shai.
- Yeah.
- Hopefully it is.
- We'’re kind of out of options,
with the exception of...
reaching out to Shai.
- I want to do it.
I want to see who it is.
- Let'’s find out.
- I'’m gonna give her a call.
- Okay.
[soft music]
♪
- How do you feel?
- I hope it'’s not Antonese.
- Well, if everyone
in your life is telling you
that she might be into you,
they'’re not blind.
- Yeah.
- They probably can see
more than you can.
- Right.
It'’ll make it
very awkward, though.
- I think it being Antonese
is one of the better outcomes.
- I don'’t think so.
My heart not gonna
be able to take it.
♪
[line trilling]
- We'’re sorry. This person
is not available right now.
[beeps]
- Hey, Shai.
This is Nev
from "Catfish,"
the show on MTV,
and I am in Chicago right now
with your friend Telizza.
We would love to bring you guys
together finally to meet up.
So give me a call back
when you get this,
and hopefully
we can figure something out.
Thanks.
- Nothing?
- I left a voice mail,
so you know.
[cell phone vibrating]
- So who is calling me?
- Hopefully, she--
- Someone'’s calling you?
- She'’s calling me.
- She'’s calling you?
- Wait, answer it.
Answer it.
[cell phone vibrating]
- Someone'’s calling you?
- She'’s calling you?
- Wait, answer it. Answer it.
- Yeah.
I just want to meet you.
- What you don'’t--
- Hi, this is Nev,
and I'’m sitting here
with Max too.
You and Telizza have been
talking for over a year now,
and Telizza told us that she has
very strong feelings for you.
She wants to meet you finally
and wasn'’t sure how to do that.
So that'’s why
she reached out to us.
We'’d love to try and help.
Telizza has got a lot
she'’s trying to figure out
in her life right now.
She just finished high school.
She'’s got to figure out
if she'’s going to college.
Is she gonna stay in Chicago?
And you'’re a big part of that.
She wants to know
if your relationship
is gonna factor in
to what she chooses
to do with her life.
All right, well, look, I'’m sure
you'’re nervous about it.
Telizza'’s nervous,
but we'’re coming
into the situation
with, you know,
a very open mind.
[suspenseful music]
♪
All right, are you currently
in Kansas City, Missouri?
Is that where
we would meet you?
- So if we flew
to Kansas City, Missouri...
tomorrow...
Okay, that would be great.
I'’ll put Telizza back on
so you guys can say good-bye.
- I can'’t wait to meet you.
I'’m excited.
- Okay, well,
see you tomorrow.
- Okay, bye.
- All right, well,
it'’s not Antonese,
which we know from the voice,
and she'’s in Missouri.
That'’s a good sign--
that she'’s not here.
- Yeah.
- That means some of what
she'’s told you might be true,
- Okay.
- And there'’s someone
on the other end of this
that does have
feelings for you...
it seems.
Go home,
pack your stuff--
- And we'’ll see you
in the morning.
- Okay.
- I never like being
in the situation
where we don'’t
really know anything
about the person
we'’re going to meet.
We'’re gonna get the first flight
out of here in the morning.
[sighs]
Kansas City, here we come.
[dramatic music]
♪
- Good morning.
- Good morning.
- All right, is that
all you'’re bringing?
- Yeah.
- Girl travels light.
- Hey!
- Good morning.
- You ready to meet Shai?
- Yeah.
- Telizza, have you ever been
to Kansas City, Missouri?
- No.
- Where have you been?
- Chicago.
- Wait, have you been
on an airplane?
- No.
- Really?
[text alert]
Oh.
Is that...?
- That'’s my phone.
I can'’t read it right now
if someone wants to read it.
- Shai! She said,
"Are you really coming today?"
Yes, we'’re really coming.
♪
She said...
- She probably
doesn'’t believe it.
- Did you tell Antonese
about what happened?
- Yeah.
- What'’d she say?
- For all we know,
she'’s going.
- [chuckles]
- She'’s gonna meet us there.
[text alert]
Oh.
Whoa, whoa, whoa!
"I feel really bad that I lied.
I'’m not in Kansas City."
- [laughing]
- What? That'’s what she said.
- Oh, what?
- I'’m serious.
- That'’s not what she said.
- Yes, it is!
- Are you kidding?What?
So she'’s not in Missouri,
she'’s in New York?
- Should we not get
on this plane?
- Where are we going?
Should we not
get on this plane?
- So she'’s not in Missouri,
she'’s in New York?
- Well, is she just
sending us to New York
so that we don'’t go
to where she is in Kansas City?
[line thrilling]
- Hi, Shai?
- Hi, it'’s Max, um--
I'’m in the car
with Nev and Telizza.
You'’re in Brooklyn, New York,
and not Kansas City, Missouri?
- How do we know you'’re
telling the truth now?
- Where does she live?
- You'’ve already lied to us.
- Where in Brooklyn?
- But just--
- Just give me--
- A neighborhood.
- Give me a neighborhood
in Brooklyn where you'’re from.
[line beeps]
- But she could just know
Canarsie from Jay-Z.
You know what I mean?
Like, that'’s crazy.
- Yeah, I can'’t--
- But that'’s a--
that'’s a hell of a curveball.
- Hold on. Danielle, were you
trying to tell us something?
- I hope she really
in Brooklyn.
- Maybe she does live
in Kansas City,
and she'’s freaked out,
and she'’s trying
to get us not to come
actually see her...
- Right, which I think
is very possible.
- Or she doesn'’t live
in Kansas City,
and she doesn'’t live
in Brooklyn,
and she'’s just, like,
trying to ditch us.
- That'’s crazy.
- Well, let'’s see
what we can figure out.
♪
- Just letting you guys know,
David'’s working on switching
the flights right now.
- Okay.
- So I'’ll come
and let you know
once we find out
what'’s going on.
- Okay.
- Okay.
- Okay, just sit tight.
- Fingers crossed
this works out.
We'’re good?
- ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh
Max, we got seats.
Chicago to New York.
I hope she'’s in Brooklyn.
Thumbs up?
- Beep.
- We got tickets.
- ♪ Right now
- JFK.
- ♪ You got me
feeling like ♪
♪ I can'’t believe
I let you go ♪
- Your first flight--
this is called the catwalk.
- Jet bridge.
- The jet bridge.
- ♪ Oh, I can'’t believe
I kid myself again, again ♪
♪ Well, now I'’m letting go ♪
♪ And all my fear,
all my fear ♪
♪ I'’ve been fearing this
too long ♪
♪ Backbeat, counting time
♪ Pick it up and tell me
♪ If you really want to dance
some more ♪
♪
- You'’re seeing the world
through daisy-colored glasses.
- Yeah.
- Take those off.
- Why? [laughs]
- Oh, '’cause then you'’ll see
the world as it really is--ugly.
- [laughs]
♪
- There it is...
New York--
In the distance.
- This is a big day
of firsts...
first flight,
first time leaving Chicago.
- And now you'’re going
to meet Shai.
First time going to meet
the first girl
you'’ve fallen in love with.
- Yeah, jeez.
[dramatic music]
- Do you even know
how you want it to turn out?
- I'’m hoping
to get a girlfriend.
[text alerts]
- She texted us back.
River and 1st.
[suspenseful music]
♪
- Where are we?
♪
- Wow, I'’ve never been
to this part of Brooklyn.
♪
- Yeah, just five minutes now.
♪
- You okay?
- Yeah.
I'’m getting nervous.
♪
- Where are we?
- This is really sketchy.
- I think it'’s just at the end
of the street here.
♪
- That must be her.
♪
- Where are we?
- This is really sketchy.
- I think it'’s just at the end
of the street here.
[dramatic music]
♪
- That must be her.
It'’s not the girl
in the pictures.
- Whew!
♪
[exhales deeply]
♪
- Hello.
I'’m Max.
Nice to meet you.
♪
- I just can'’t believe
she'’s standing in front of me
right now. It'’s just, like--
- What'’s that like?
- Mind-blowing, like,
I didn'’t think she was
actually gonna meet me.
- Six hours ago,
we thought we were flying
to Kansas City, Missouri.
We just found out
your name is Makeda.
So why don'’t you just tell us
a little bit about who you are,
since we don'’t know you?
♪
- I just turned 20,
like, two weeks ago.
- Okay.
- Um...
I live with my mother
and my sister and my brother.
- Do you strip?
- No.
- It'’s not a crazy question.
That'’s--
- Right.
- I mean--
- It says it on the page that--
that'’s the only thing
she knows about you.
- Right.
- Put that up there, like,
to, like, fill in the blanks
for the--it was, like,
an empty page.
The purpose of the page
wasn'’t to catfish people.
It was for my ex-boyfriend...
- Okay.
- To, like, catch him cheating,
and then, like, I added
a lot of people on the page
to make it seem real, and
then we just started talking,
and then it got out of control.
I don'’t--
I'’m not a liar.
Like, I'’m really not.
I just did it because...
it felt right at that moment.
- But do you have feelings
for Telizza?
- No.
♪
- I don'’t know,
really, what to say.
- When you started
the textPlus number,
that was, again,
for your ex?
- To make it seem like I was
really in Kansas City, you know.
- So that was for her?
- Basically.
- Okay, so that wasn'’t
for your ex?
- No.
- If you didn'’t have feelings,
why would you go through
all of that, though?
You didn'’t have to give her
a number.
- Just some random girl
that you met on your fake page.
- Right, you must'’ve felt
some type of way.
- No, like--all right,
so I kind of felt bad
about the situation you was in
with your ex-boyfriend.
So that'’s why
I started to say, like,
"Oh, I like you,
you'’re pretty" and stuff
so that you can
forget about him.
It was so many times
I wanted to say, like,
"Okay, like,
my name is not Shai.
This is a fake page,"
but I didn'’t know
how to get out of it.
- I'’m lost for words.
- It'’s always a big deal
to meet someone on the Internet
that you think
you'’re in love with.
This is...
extra big deal for Telizza.
She has not told
many people in her life
that she has been talking
to a female
and in a romantic way.
- I'’m sorry.
- It'’s--
well, I wouldn'’t say,
"It'’s okay," '’cause it'’s not,
because I had got
my feelings involved.
And I wasn'’t into girls,
but...
I am now.
♪
- So are you
interested in girls?
- That'’s what I was gonna--
- Um...
I mean--
- You never had
romantic feelings for her?
- There'’s a difference
between liking somebody
and being in love
with somebody.
- Right, but there'’s
a difference
between liking someone
because they'’re fun
and they'’re your friend
and liking someone
because you want
to go [bleep].
♪
It'’s fine,
unless you did,
and you'’re not ready
to admit that,
and that'’s fine too.
You could'’ve stopped
talking to her as Shai.
Could'’ve friended her as you
if you wanted to continue
having some sort of friendship,
but you didn'’t, '’cause
you liked the relationship
that Shai had with Telizza.
- Yeah. Basically.
- So, at some point,
you had some kind
of romantic feelings
towards Telizza?
- I-I don'’t know.
You know, um...
it'’s just confusing.
It'’s, like, a whole lot.
- That'’s all right.
- Sure.
- Maybe you'’re not ready
to answer that question.
'’Cause this is a lot.
- Let'’s meet up tomorrow
after you guys have a chance
to kind of process
what happened.
- See where that takes us.
- ♪ You never got the chance
to know me ♪
♪
♪ Packed it up
and crossed the state ♪
♪
♪ You left behind
more than memories ♪
♪
- She was saying, like,
she only created the profile
for her boyfriend,
but then why me?
You the one came on to me.
Why you kept pursuing me?
- Feels like she'’s got
more feelings
than she'’s even ready
to necessarily admit.
Maybe she'’s not even sure
how she feels totally.
- Do you find her appealing?
- She'’s pretty, but...
I can'’t be into somebody
that...
not into me.
♪
- For tomorrow...
I think she'’ll be
a lot more open
to talk about the things
that you might'’ve felt
that she was
holding back on.
- It definitely feels like
there'’s still a lot unsaid.
♪
- ♪ Saw it in her eyes
[line trilling]
♪
- I wanted to meet up today.
Would that be
all right with you?
- Uh, yeah, that'’s fine.
- All right, see you soon.
[knock at door]
- Hey.
- Hi.
- Good morning.
- Hey.
- How you doing?
- Fine.
- Yeah?
- I'’m good.
- Good to see you.
- Come on in.
- Yeah.
- Hi.
- Hey.
- How are you
feeling today?
- I'’m okay.
Still a little nervous,
but I'’m okay.
- Well, we would love
to hear from you.
Telizza has a lot more things
she'’d like to express,
so however you guys
want to do that.
- Okay, well...
I got a just--a big question,
like, overall.
Hopefully you comfortable
with answering it.
- Mm-hmm.
- Um...
are you into me?
- I'’m into you.
[soft upbeat music]
- You had feelingsfor her,
and you still have
feelings for her?
- Yes.
- Romantic feelings?
- Yes.
- Yesterday I was hurt
when you said
you didn'’t have
feelings for me.
I was like--
- I'’m sorry.
I was scared.
- Yeah.
This might be
the first time
you'’re feeling
all of these things.
- Yeah.
- I don'’t want you
to feel now, even,
that there'’s
any pressure on you
to identify
yourself perfectly
in some easy-to-understand...word.
- I didn'’t expect this
to actually happen,
but I'’m into Telizza.
- I'’m happy
you shared that.
- [chuckles] Thank you.
- I was--
- How does it feel
to talk about that stuff?
- It was hard.
I just don'’t want
to get emotional.
Oh, my God.
[clicks tongue, sighs]
[exhales sharply]
I don'’t like crying.
- Take your time.
We'’re here...to talk about it.
- It was hard for me
even saying all that just now.
- Well, thank you
for sharing it.
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
- So I think it goes
without saying that
you probably want
to deactivate
the Shai profile now?
- Yeah, of course.
- Keep in mind that you were
exploring your sexuality.
You were getting something
valuable out of it,
and you might want
to find other ways
to do that
in your real life.
- Did you have someone
you were talking to?
Did you have
a friend that--
- I didn'’t want to talk
to my friends.
They'’re judgmental.
And then I didn'’t want to tell
my family
because I already know that...
they would'’ve just
talked about me.
- If you told your mom
that you had feelings
for a girl,
what would she say?
- I don'’t know.
My mother'’s very religious.
She--I don'’t know
what she would say.
I don'’t know
what she would say, like--
- You'’re both doing
something difficult,
admitting something that
you haven'’t told lots of people
and having a conversation
about something
for the first time.
- I mean, there'’s more stuff
that I haven'’t told
a lot of people
because I don'’t--
you know, I don'’t like telling
people what I go through.
I like to just
keep it to myself.
- Like what?
- It'’s complicated
because we live in,
like, a shelter.
All of us in, like,
a one-bedroom.
- You and your--
- My mother and my sister
and my brother.
It'’s been a whole year.
It was last year in June.
Like, this guy just knocked
on our door
and was like,
we have to leave.
He'’s evicting us.
The guy that sold
my mother our house,
it was, like, a scam.
Every day my mother,
she, like, she gets up,
and she'’s, like, depressed.
I'’m depressed too a lot.
That'’s basically why I wanted
to come here to meet you guys,
'’cause--couldn'’t go
to where I live.
- That'’s some heavy shit.
- Yeah, it is.
- Why didn'’t you tell
any of that to Telizza?
I mean, she was opening up
to you, and she was--
you were being so wonderful
at listening to her.
- Nobody even knows
any of this.
I couldn'’t really go
to my friends.
I want them to think
that I have a perfect life.
- That mean they not
your friends if you can'’t--
I feel bad because
you was helping me.
I probably could'’ve
helped you.
- Yeah, but you live
in Chicago.
I'’m all the way
in Brooklyn.
- Well, but even if she couldn'’t
have helped you with a bed,
she could'’ve just helped you
as a friend.
- Yeah, but then
I would'’ve said,
"Okay, I live in Brooklyn,"
and then you would'’ve known
automatically
that I wasn'’t
the person, so.
- I don'’t think that
would'’ve mattered, though,
because don'’t nobody deserve
to go through that.
- If you don'’t have a friend
or a person to talk to,
you'’re gonna feel trapped,
and it'’s gonna
make you unhappy.
♪
- I'’m a good friend.
I don'’t leave my friends
on scene.
- Where do you think
you want to go from here?
- I think we should
talk more,
and we just have a friendship
and build upon that.
- Yeah.
- I'’m just glad
you ain'’t Shai no more.
I got tired
of saying that name.
[both laughing]
[energetic music]
[line trilling]
- There we go.
both: Hey!
- Hi!
- What?
- Where are you guys?
- I'’m in Chicago.
I'’m spending the weekend
with her.
- Hi.
- Hey.
- No way.
- Wait, so are you guys just--
- Tell us, what'’s going on?
- What'’s the deal?
- We'’re just friends.
- Friends with benefits?
- Friends with friends.
- [laughs]
- Friends with friends.
Boring.
- We got a lot going on.
- We still talk every day,
even though she gets
on my nerves, like, every day.
- We got the same hairstyle.
- [laughs]
- You was thinking like me.
[laughs]
- No, you was thinking like me.
- So, Telizza,
tell us what'’s new.
- Okay, well,
I started school.
It'’s a lot of work,
but it'’s going very well,
and I'’m still working
currently.
- Nice.
- And Makeda,
what'’s going on with you?
- I'’m leaving for school
in the fall.
- That'’s amazing.
- That is amazing.
- And we still
in the same place,
but we'’re moving
in, like, two weeks.
- Oh, you are?
- Yeah.
- Wow, that'’s great.
So you and your mom
and your sister are still living
in the shelter?
- Yeah.
- But you'’re moving to a house?
- Um, yes.
- They moving to Chicago.
- We'’re not moving
to Chicago.
- [laughs]
- Um,
we'’re moving in a house,
yeah.
- And Makeda, is this
your first time in Chicago?
- My first time, and I always
meant to come here,
so I'’m kind of excited.
- So you know,
nobody makes pizza better
than New York.
- Exactly.
- Wait a minute, what?
Ooh.
So do y'’all'’s look like this?
No.
- Sorry, lady.
- Look, her name is Telizza.
- That'’s true.
- She is--she is named
after pizza, so she'’s got
some sort of authority here.
- [laughs]
- Right!
- Oop.
- Nope, you gotta enjoy
the cheese.
Nope. Nope.
Then do a wipe. Then do a wipe.
- There'’s too much cheese.
- So you still like
New York pizza?
- Yeah, definitely.
- [sighs]
- I'’m impressed,
and I'’m thrilled
that it'’s worked outso well.
- Thank you.
- Have a great
rest of your trip.
- Nice seeing you.
- Bye!
- Bye.
1055
00:41:08.
that you meet Shai
that it'’s worth coming out?
- Are you hoping to get
a girlfriend?
- Shai!
She said,
"Are you really coming today?"
Yes,
we'’re really coming.
Heading to the airport now.
Whoa, whoa, whoa!
- You kidding?
- Should we not
get on this plane?
[dramatic musical sting]
I miss these things.
That'’s still--
That'’s what you'’re missing
from cell phones.
- They make
something like that.
- I know, but there'’s still
nothing as satisfying
as the--
[snaps]
Or the--
[slams]
- You'’re right.
- Hello?
Good-bye!
[slams]
- I said good-bye!
- Those are the two best things
of a conversation.
- Ay-oh!
All right. I see an email.
- Wow!
It says,
"Hi, Nev and Max.
"My name is Telizza,
"and I live in Chicago,
Illinois,
born and raised."
- Do you think
she'’s thin-crust Telizza?
Or she'’s probably
deep-dish Telizza
because she'’s in Chicago?
- "Telizza" does not sound
like "pizza."
- No, but
it'’s spelled like "pizza."
- No, it just
has two Zs and an A.
- I see the word "plaza,"
and I think of "pizza."
I see Mike Piazza,
I think of pizza.
It doesn'’t take much.
If I see an I, Z, Z, A,
I will always think of pizza.
- Right, right.Exactly.
- Okay.
- Telizza says,
"I'’m 18 years old
"and just graduated
high school this year.
"Getting through the last year
was probably
"the most stressful time
of my life.
"I ended a four-year
relationship with my boyfriend.
"He was not faithful.
"It took a long time to realize
that I deserved better,
"and I could not have done that
"without a friend like Shai.
She reminded me that
I was worthy of much better."
- Is this a friend catfish?
- I don'’t know.
"It all started
a year and a half ago
when Shai sent me
a random inbox."
- ♪ Beware, kid
is what they used to say ♪
"I was really depressed,
but Shai snapped me out of it.
"Shai would always know
what to say
and give me
words of encouragement."
- ♪ You make me feel alive,
alive, alive, alive ♪
- "She was my coach,
my best friend, and my diary.
She knows everything
about me."
- ♪ You make me feel alive
- "My friend thought
there was something fishy
"about Shai'’s profile.
"She called Shai a catfish,
"which I thought
was ridiculous.
"But after a few months,
"I noticed that Shai was dodging
a lot of personal questions
"and making excuses
not to video-chat.
"I couldn'’t put aside
my suspicions.
"If I keep pushing her
for answers,
"she'’ll probably
just unfriend me.
"I don'’t want to lose her.
I need your help
to figure out this girl Shai."
- This sounds like
the catfish for good.
- Well,
the issue here is--
is it possible
that Shai is someone
that Telizza
actually knows,
who now has all
of this very sensitive
material and information
about her,
who could potentially
at some point in the future
blackmail her?
- W-wow.
That'’s a big theory.
- Anyway, look...
- Okay.
- She needs our help.
Let'’s see what
this girl has to say.
[line trilling]
- Hey!
- Yo!
[laughs]
- Telizza.
- Is that how you say it?
- Yeah.
- You better have
some deep-dish Telizza
waiting for us.
- Good, you'’ve got
the concept of my name.
It actually
did come from pizza.
- What?
- It did?
- You were named
after pizza?
No.
- Yes!
[both laughing]
- My dad told me he was
at the hospital with my mom,
and he was so hungry,
so he had ordered some pizza.
He looked at the box,
he said, "Mm...
I'’ll take the P off
and put T-E-L."
- You just told the world
the greatest name-origin
story ever.
Amazing.
- So tell us about Shai.
- It started
last year'’s summer.
What made me drawn to Shai
was the fact that she was
bold with the inbox,
because she didn'’t know if,
you know, I liked girls or--
- Wait. Time-out.
So Shai hit you up
because she was into you?
- When she first inboxed me,
it wasn'’t like that.
But as time go,
heart-wise,
it turned into more romance.
- And are you
into the ladies?
- That'’s why
I'’m talking to you guys.
- Okay. Okay.
- Oh.
- Now I--
- So this is--
so this is not just about,
"Who is this girl, my friend,
that'’s catfishing me?"
- Yes.
- Got it.
- Do you love Shai?
- Yes, I do.
- What do you love
about Shai?
- She was there, open ears,
and she didn'’t judge me,
no matter what I told her.
I just want to know...
and for sure,
that it'’s her and that
we haven'’t been keeping
anything from each other.
- So what do you know
about her?
- She live with her mom,
and she live
in Kansas City, Missouri,
but after that,
nothing else.
She never wanted
to talk about herself.
- Is Shai
the same age as you?
- She told me she was 17.
- So have you tried to do any
of the investigating that we do?
- Well...
She was like,
"Oh, let'’s just
take her picture
and put it on Google."
- And did you find anything?
- No.
- This is a really big deal
that you'’re coming out
and saying that you are,
in fact, attracted
to this woman,
and interested in pursuing
a relationship,
that'’s very brave
of you to do.
So thank you for trusting us
to help you
through this big step
in your life.
- Thank you.
- Will Shai be bae,
or will Shai be cray?
- I hope she be bae!
[all laughing]
- All right.
Well, we will see you
really soon.
- I'’m so excited.
- All right, we are too.
both: Bye.
- Bye.
- Let'’s go!
- I think
it'’s someone she knows.
- She'’s really putting herself
on the line here.
- All right,Chicago.
- You'’re gonna be cold
without your jacket.
- It'’s still summer.
- Nope.
Are we going Chi-Town
or Shai-town?
- ♪ We are the wolves
at play ♪
♪ We are the ones that sing
that you'’re gonna be okay ♪
- All right,
beautiful Chicago.
- ♪ And the vibe we bring...
- Not that much wind
in the Windy City.
- Why are you wearing
that jacket?
- There is a 30% chance
of precipitation,
and I will not
take that chance.
- All you need
is an umbrella.
- ♪ We are the ones that sing
that you'’re gonna be okay ♪
[dog barking,
ball bouncing]
- Oh, I see someone,
but it'’s not Telizza.
Hey. Anyone there?
both: Whoa!
- Hi!
- Hey!
- What'’s up?
We saw you through the window.
We thought we were
at the wrong house.
- I know, right?
- Telizza.
- You like, "Who is that?"
- [chuckles]
- Who is that?
- Hi! It'’s Antonese.
- This my friend Antonese.
- Oh, the famous Antonese.
- You'’re Antonese.
- Yes, and you'’re Nev.
- Hey.
- Suspect number one
in potentially being Shai.
- In our case.
[both laughing]
- They funny.
- We already nailed it.
- You didn'’t nail it
this time.
- All right, well, invite us in.
- Come on in.
- You guys can come in.
- All right.
[light music]
- So you guys met
in high school?
both: Yeah.
- Our freshman year.
- And you were
the friend who said,
"I think
she could be a catfish."
- Yeah. Yeah.
- [chuckling]
- Right.
- Soon as she showed me,
I'’m like, "Girl...
- You got bit.
- This is a catfish."
I watch too much
of this show,
and I know this girl
a catfish.
She like,
"No, she ain'’t."
So she kept talking to her
and talking to her.
- She'’s super hot?
- She'’s probably
like a eight,
and I'’m like,
"Whoa, she is cute, TT."
- You think
that she'’s cute.
- Yeah.
- Oh.
- Yeah.
- Oh, okay. Well, I don'’t know.
- Yeah.
- You feel a certain way
towards a certain person,
I mean, you should go for it.
- I love it.
Your generation'’s attitude
towards sexuality now is
so free, which is great,
It'’s like, "I don'’t know.
I like whoever I like."
- Can we see
what she looks like?
- This girl'’s hot.
- Yeah, right.
- Stripper.
- She'’s a stripper?
- That'’s what it say
"she works."
- This is her, right?
- Yeah.
- What?
- Oh, that'’s not--
- Wait. Time-out.
Too much information at once.
Shai is a stripper?
- Well, that'’s what
it says on her Facebook.
- Wait a second.
It'’s very unlikely
she'’s working as a dancer
at a adult nightclub
if she'’s under 18.
Was her friend tagged?
- No.
- That'’s what I was saying.
Like, she has no tagged
people on her page,
like, no family on there.
- There'’s definitely a lot
of red flags here, for sure.
- The reason why I was, like,
investigating Shai, though,
was because
I was real jealous
because she'’s telling Shai
all of this stuff,
and she not telling me.
Like, she not talking
to me anymore,
so I was, like,
kind of upset.
- I was a little,
you know...
vulnerable, depressed.
- Because your long-term
boyfriend--that ended.
- Yeah, because
he wasn'’t truthful.
You know, I needed
somebody to listen to me.
If I wasn'’t, like,
really texting her,
she'’d get mad.
Be so mad.
It made me
feel loved again.
- Do you have
your messages?
- Yeah.
- Here we go.
Shai Hunter.
Whoa!
"I want to go [bleep] on you,
and then [bleep]."
- Whoa!
Can we show
that on our show?
[all laughing]
- Okay, so hold on a second.
All right, so she said,
"I need you to know
"that I really...
"deeply love you, Telizza,
and I'’ll do anything
to be with you."
You guys definitely
have something going on.
There'’s a lot of heart eyes--
- Yeah.
- And a lot of feelings.
- Right.
- You hoping to get
a girlfriend?
- Yeah.
I don'’t know.
♪
- I just hope it'’s not--
[laughs]
I just hope it'’s not, like,
somebody completely different.
I'’m just gonna be, like,
"What the--"
That'’s my biggest fear.
[sniffles]
- Don'’t cry, TT.
Okay?
Look, it'’s okay.
Okay?
It'’s okay.
- [sniffles]
- It'’s okay.
- You guys have
a nice friendship.
both:
Thank you.
- My last relationship was,
like, really hard for me.
[sniffles]
So she knew what
I'’ve been through, and she--
I feel like she'’s taking me
through a little bit too much.
- Is it so important
that you meet Shai
that it'’s worth kind of
coming out to everyone watching?
- Yeah.
It'’s very important to me.
Like...
I thought about this a lot.
I haven'’t even told my mom.
But in order to live my life
how I want to,
I got to first admit it.
♪
- Hopefully we'’ll
come up with something
and we'’ll be
one step closer
towards getting you
face-to-face.
- Okay.
- It'’s gonna be
a tough couple of days.
- It'’s gonna be
A-okay, girl.
- But you'’ve got your friend
here to make you feel better.
- [sighs happily]
- Come on, Max.
- [chuckling]
- [groans]
- [chuckling]
♪
- She'’s really
in love with Shai.
- Can you imagine
falling in love with a girl
for the first time
and not knowing
how to talk about it
because you don'’t know
if she'’s real,
even though
your feelings are real?
- Oh, man, I hope
it doesn'’t end up
the way I think
it'’s gonna end up.
- All right,
so Telizza--
She had a long relationship
in high school for four years.
- He was cheating on her,
she stayed with him,
and then eventually
they broke up.
She was super demoralized.
- Yeah.
- Downward spiral,
and then, boom,
Shai inboxes her
on her Facebook page,
and quickly things escalate,
and it becomes
kind of a more
intimate relationship.
She'’s questioning
her sexuality.
- Coming out'’s
a big step forward.
- Coffee house.
- Oh, yeah.
Perfect.
[suspenseful music]
- Good morning.
- Welcome.
♪
- Telizza sent us an email
with everything she has.
"Hey, Nev and Max...
♪
"I attached a photo
she sent me too.
All the other pics are
on her Facebook."
- Let'’s do
the photos first,
and let'’s prove or disprove
that she is
the girl in the photo.
- Okay, searching the pics.
- Searching the pics.
♪
Oh!
- Number two.
Nope.
- She posted
a lot of pictures.
♪
Come on, I feel good
about this one.
Something?
- No.
- All right.
So we had no luck
on the pictures.
So we struck out.
- All right, I think we got
to search the phone number.
Come on.
♪
Caney, Kansas.
That'’s nowhere
near Missouri.
- We got a hit
for a landline.
- Owner name
not available.
- So this is
a text phone number.
So her text app area code
is from Kansas and not...
both:
Missouri.
- But she'’s supposed to be
from Missouri.
- All right,
so let'’s go to...
Shai Hunter.
Perfect, okay.
Here'’s Shai'’s profile.
- A lot of selfies,
no one tagged--
classic catfish.
- August 17th,
which was not that long ago,
she said she started working
at the Temptations bar,
which is in Kansas City,
Missouri.
- It'’s kind of like
a stripper bar.
- So do you want
to call them?
- It'’s our best lead
right now.
[line trilling]
- Hey, good morning.
Uh, just wondering if Shai is
on the schedule
today or tonight.
- Why not just ask
if Shai works there?
'’Cause she might not be
on tonight.
- She'’s more likely to give us
an answer if it'’s--
if I'’m calling
about coming in to enjoy
the performance
of a favorite dancer.
- Hi.
Shai Hunter is her name.
I was wondering
if she'’s working.
Would that be because...
she goes under a different
name when she dances?
All right, well,
thank you very much.
Okay.
If that'’s the most recent place
she says she'’s worked,
that calls into question
whether or not she even
lives in Missouri.
Shai'’s Facebook page has
all of the telltale signs
of a fake.
- So she'’s got
a bogus Facebook page,
and she works
at a bogus strip club?
- Right. Her phone number
is from a weird state.
- Bogus textPlus number.
- Yeah.
- Shai bogus.
- Yeah.
- Go to Shai'’s friends.
Whitney, Malic.
- Isaac, Christina.
Neicy [bleep].
- Oh, wait.
Neicy is Antonese.
- Very interesting.
- Yeah.
Mm.
Troubling.
Can it not be Antonese?
- I still think
that'’s a possibility.
- I mean, like, she'’s--
it'’s right under our nose.
It'’s, like, it'’s so obvious
that it could be her.
- She admitted
that she was jealous
when Telizza started talking--
- She'’s into girls.
- I think what we need to do now
is bring Telizza...in,
show her that, unfortunately,
we don'’t have much to go off of.
- I mean, Antonese
should not be ruled out.
- No.
- So I go back
to my original statement
that Antonese is
suspect number one.
- Hey, good morning, Telizza.
We'’re at this coffee shop
called Funky Java.
Got an update for you.
Bye.
[door bells jingle]
- Hey.
- Hi.
- How you feeling?
- Better.
- Let'’s be real for a second.
- [chuckles]
- Do you think
there'’s a chance...
that Antonese is into you?
- No.
- Really?
- Yeah.
My family think that.
- So your family thinks
Antonese likes you?
- Yeah.
- Like, more than a friend?
- Yeah.
I don'’t think that.
- There is a way to read
her care for you
as, like,
maybe she feels guilty
that she'’s put you
through this,
and when she sees you
crying,
she, like, really wants
to soothe you
because she'’s Shai...
- She feels guilty.
- And she'’s put you
through this.
- And we found out
Antonese
and Shai are
Facebook friends.
Does that come as a surprise?
- No.
- Because she wanted to do
some investigating?
- Yeah.
- Well, we don'’t have any
evidence that it is Antonese.
- We don'’t have
a clear conclusion.
- Right.
- It could be anybody.
- So we thought it best to just
kind of walk you through...
- Right.
- What we found.
- Why don'’t you just
swing around a little?
- Scooch.
We searched every photo,
and nothing showed up,
which is not unusual.
- But it'’s pretty ra--
I mean,
for that many photos,
it'’s kind of weird
that nothing came up.
- All right, so,
when we look at her page,
it says she works
at Temptations,
a strip club.
It'’s in Kansas City,
Missouri,
which is where she said
she lives.
- Right.
- So we...
called, and...
they don'’t have a Shai
who works there.
I mean, at the very least,
I think you have to be 18...
- Right.
- To work
at an adult nightclub.
- It'’s crazy.
- So that...
means she definitely lied
about how old she was,
or she'’s lying
about working here.
- Right.
- Maybe her name'’s not Shai.
So we know she'’s lying...
about something here.
The only other real,
hard evidence that you had
is her phone number.
We searched
the phone number...
and the area code is actually
from the state of Kansas,
not Missouri.
- Oh.
- And this a text app
phone number.
- Why would Shai,
if she lives in Missouri,
set up a text app number
from Kansas instead of Missouri?
- I'’m confused.
- Yeah, we'’re
kind of confused too.
We don'’t really have
any answers.
Could be anyone.
- Or it could be Shai.
- Yeah.
- Hopefully it is.
- We'’re kind of out of options,
with the exception of...
reaching out to Shai.
- I want to do it.
I want to see who it is.
- Let'’s find out.
- I'’m gonna give her a call.
- Okay.
[soft music]
♪
- How do you feel?
- I hope it'’s not Antonese.
- Well, if everyone
in your life is telling you
that she might be into you,
they'’re not blind.
- Yeah.
- They probably can see
more than you can.
- Right.
It'’ll make it
very awkward, though.
- I think it being Antonese
is one of the better outcomes.
- I don'’t think so.
My heart not gonna
be able to take it.
♪
[line trilling]
- We'’re sorry. This person
is not available right now.
[beeps]
- Hey, Shai.
This is Nev
from "Catfish,"
the show on MTV,
and I am in Chicago right now
with your friend Telizza.
We would love to bring you guys
together finally to meet up.
So give me a call back
when you get this,
and hopefully
we can figure something out.
Thanks.
- Nothing?
- I left a voice mail,
so you know.
[cell phone vibrating]
- So who is calling me?
- Hopefully, she--
- Someone'’s calling you?
- She'’s calling me.
- She'’s calling you?
- Wait, answer it.
Answer it.
[cell phone vibrating]
- Someone'’s calling you?
- She'’s calling you?
- Wait, answer it. Answer it.
- Yeah.
I just want to meet you.
- What you don'’t--
- Hi, this is Nev,
and I'’m sitting here
with Max too.
You and Telizza have been
talking for over a year now,
and Telizza told us that she has
very strong feelings for you.
She wants to meet you finally
and wasn'’t sure how to do that.
So that'’s why
she reached out to us.
We'’d love to try and help.
Telizza has got a lot
she'’s trying to figure out
in her life right now.
She just finished high school.
She'’s got to figure out
if she'’s going to college.
Is she gonna stay in Chicago?
And you'’re a big part of that.
She wants to know
if your relationship
is gonna factor in
to what she chooses
to do with her life.
All right, well, look, I'’m sure
you'’re nervous about it.
Telizza'’s nervous,
but we'’re coming
into the situation
with, you know,
a very open mind.
[suspenseful music]
♪
All right, are you currently
in Kansas City, Missouri?
Is that where
we would meet you?
- So if we flew
to Kansas City, Missouri...
tomorrow...
Okay, that would be great.
I'’ll put Telizza back on
so you guys can say good-bye.
- I can'’t wait to meet you.
I'’m excited.
- Okay, well,
see you tomorrow.
- Okay, bye.
- All right, well,
it'’s not Antonese,
which we know from the voice,
and she'’s in Missouri.
That'’s a good sign--
that she'’s not here.
- Yeah.
- That means some of what
she'’s told you might be true,
- Okay.
- And there'’s someone
on the other end of this
that does have
feelings for you...
it seems.
Go home,
pack your stuff--
- And we'’ll see you
in the morning.
- Okay.
- I never like being
in the situation
where we don'’t
really know anything
about the person
we'’re going to meet.
We'’re gonna get the first flight
out of here in the morning.
[sighs]
Kansas City, here we come.
[dramatic music]
♪
- Good morning.
- Good morning.
- All right, is that
all you'’re bringing?
- Yeah.
- Girl travels light.
- Hey!
- Good morning.
- You ready to meet Shai?
- Yeah.
- Telizza, have you ever been
to Kansas City, Missouri?
- No.
- Where have you been?
- Chicago.
- Wait, have you been
on an airplane?
- No.
- Really?
[text alert]
Oh.
Is that...?
- That'’s my phone.
I can'’t read it right now
if someone wants to read it.
- Shai! She said,
"Are you really coming today?"
Yes, we'’re really coming.
♪
She said...
- She probably
doesn'’t believe it.
- Did you tell Antonese
about what happened?
- Yeah.
- What'’d she say?
- For all we know,
she'’s going.
- [chuckles]
- She'’s gonna meet us there.
[text alert]
Oh.
Whoa, whoa, whoa!
"I feel really bad that I lied.
I'’m not in Kansas City."
- [laughing]
- What? That'’s what she said.
- Oh, what?
- I'’m serious.
- That'’s not what she said.
- Yes, it is!
- Are you kidding?What?
So she'’s not in Missouri,
she'’s in New York?
- Should we not get
on this plane?
- Where are we going?
Should we not
get on this plane?
- So she'’s not in Missouri,
she'’s in New York?
- Well, is she just
sending us to New York
so that we don'’t go
to where she is in Kansas City?
[line thrilling]
- Hi, Shai?
- Hi, it'’s Max, um--
I'’m in the car
with Nev and Telizza.
You'’re in Brooklyn, New York,
and not Kansas City, Missouri?
- How do we know you'’re
telling the truth now?
- Where does she live?
- You'’ve already lied to us.
- Where in Brooklyn?
- But just--
- Just give me--
- A neighborhood.
- Give me a neighborhood
in Brooklyn where you'’re from.
[line beeps]
- But she could just know
Canarsie from Jay-Z.
You know what I mean?
Like, that'’s crazy.
- Yeah, I can'’t--
- But that'’s a--
that'’s a hell of a curveball.
- Hold on. Danielle, were you
trying to tell us something?
- I hope she really
in Brooklyn.
- Maybe she does live
in Kansas City,
and she'’s freaked out,
and she'’s trying
to get us not to come
actually see her...
- Right, which I think
is very possible.
- Or she doesn'’t live
in Kansas City,
and she doesn'’t live
in Brooklyn,
and she'’s just, like,
trying to ditch us.
- That'’s crazy.
- Well, let'’s see
what we can figure out.
♪
- Just letting you guys know,
David'’s working on switching
the flights right now.
- Okay.
- So I'’ll come
and let you know
once we find out
what'’s going on.
- Okay.
- Okay.
- Okay, just sit tight.
- Fingers crossed
this works out.
We'’re good?
- ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh
Max, we got seats.
Chicago to New York.
I hope she'’s in Brooklyn.
Thumbs up?
- Beep.
- We got tickets.
- ♪ Right now
- JFK.
- ♪ You got me
feeling like ♪
♪ I can'’t believe
I let you go ♪
- Your first flight--
this is called the catwalk.
- Jet bridge.
- The jet bridge.
- ♪ Oh, I can'’t believe
I kid myself again, again ♪
♪ Well, now I'’m letting go ♪
♪ And all my fear,
all my fear ♪
♪ I'’ve been fearing this
too long ♪
♪ Backbeat, counting time
♪ Pick it up and tell me
♪ If you really want to dance
some more ♪
♪
- You'’re seeing the world
through daisy-colored glasses.
- Yeah.
- Take those off.
- Why? [laughs]
- Oh, '’cause then you'’ll see
the world as it really is--ugly.
- [laughs]
♪
- There it is...
New York--
In the distance.
- This is a big day
of firsts...
first flight,
first time leaving Chicago.
- And now you'’re going
to meet Shai.
First time going to meet
the first girl
you'’ve fallen in love with.
- Yeah, jeez.
[dramatic music]
- Do you even know
how you want it to turn out?
- I'’m hoping
to get a girlfriend.
[text alerts]
- She texted us back.
River and 1st.
[suspenseful music]
♪
- Where are we?
♪
- Wow, I'’ve never been
to this part of Brooklyn.
♪
- Yeah, just five minutes now.
♪
- You okay?
- Yeah.
I'’m getting nervous.
♪
- Where are we?
- This is really sketchy.
- I think it'’s just at the end
of the street here.
♪
- That must be her.
♪
- Where are we?
- This is really sketchy.
- I think it'’s just at the end
of the street here.
[dramatic music]
♪
- That must be her.
It'’s not the girl
in the pictures.
- Whew!
♪
[exhales deeply]
♪
- Hello.
I'’m Max.
Nice to meet you.
♪
- I just can'’t believe
she'’s standing in front of me
right now. It'’s just, like--
- What'’s that like?
- Mind-blowing, like,
I didn'’t think she was
actually gonna meet me.
- Six hours ago,
we thought we were flying
to Kansas City, Missouri.
We just found out
your name is Makeda.
So why don'’t you just tell us
a little bit about who you are,
since we don'’t know you?
♪
- I just turned 20,
like, two weeks ago.
- Okay.
- Um...
I live with my mother
and my sister and my brother.
- Do you strip?
- No.
- It'’s not a crazy question.
That'’s--
- Right.
- I mean--
- It says it on the page that--
that'’s the only thing
she knows about you.
- Right.
- Put that up there, like,
to, like, fill in the blanks
for the--it was, like,
an empty page.
The purpose of the page
wasn'’t to catfish people.
It was for my ex-boyfriend...
- Okay.
- To, like, catch him cheating,
and then, like, I added
a lot of people on the page
to make it seem real, and
then we just started talking,
and then it got out of control.
I don'’t--
I'’m not a liar.
Like, I'’m really not.
I just did it because...
it felt right at that moment.
- But do you have feelings
for Telizza?
- No.
♪
- I don'’t know,
really, what to say.
- When you started
the textPlus number,
that was, again,
for your ex?
- To make it seem like I was
really in Kansas City, you know.
- So that was for her?
- Basically.
- Okay, so that wasn'’t
for your ex?
- No.
- If you didn'’t have feelings,
why would you go through
all of that, though?
You didn'’t have to give her
a number.
- Just some random girl
that you met on your fake page.
- Right, you must'’ve felt
some type of way.
- No, like--all right,
so I kind of felt bad
about the situation you was in
with your ex-boyfriend.
So that'’s why
I started to say, like,
"Oh, I like you,
you'’re pretty" and stuff
so that you can
forget about him.
It was so many times
I wanted to say, like,
"Okay, like,
my name is not Shai.
This is a fake page,"
but I didn'’t know
how to get out of it.
- I'’m lost for words.
- It'’s always a big deal
to meet someone on the Internet
that you think
you'’re in love with.
This is...
extra big deal for Telizza.
She has not told
many people in her life
that she has been talking
to a female
and in a romantic way.
- I'’m sorry.
- It'’s--
well, I wouldn'’t say,
"It'’s okay," '’cause it'’s not,
because I had got
my feelings involved.
And I wasn'’t into girls,
but...
I am now.
♪
- So are you
interested in girls?
- That'’s what I was gonna--
- Um...
I mean--
- You never had
romantic feelings for her?
- There'’s a difference
between liking somebody
and being in love
with somebody.
- Right, but there'’s
a difference
between liking someone
because they'’re fun
and they'’re your friend
and liking someone
because you want
to go [bleep].
♪
It'’s fine,
unless you did,
and you'’re not ready
to admit that,
and that'’s fine too.
You could'’ve stopped
talking to her as Shai.
Could'’ve friended her as you
if you wanted to continue
having some sort of friendship,
but you didn'’t, '’cause
you liked the relationship
that Shai had with Telizza.
- Yeah. Basically.
- So, at some point,
you had some kind
of romantic feelings
towards Telizza?
- I-I don'’t know.
You know, um...
it'’s just confusing.
It'’s, like, a whole lot.
- That'’s all right.
- Sure.
- Maybe you'’re not ready
to answer that question.
'’Cause this is a lot.
- Let'’s meet up tomorrow
after you guys have a chance
to kind of process
what happened.
- See where that takes us.
- ♪ You never got the chance
to know me ♪
♪
♪ Packed it up
and crossed the state ♪
♪
♪ You left behind
more than memories ♪
♪
- She was saying, like,
she only created the profile
for her boyfriend,
but then why me?
You the one came on to me.
Why you kept pursuing me?
- Feels like she'’s got
more feelings
than she'’s even ready
to necessarily admit.
Maybe she'’s not even sure
how she feels totally.
- Do you find her appealing?
- She'’s pretty, but...
I can'’t be into somebody
that...
not into me.
♪
- For tomorrow...
I think she'’ll be
a lot more open
to talk about the things
that you might'’ve felt
that she was
holding back on.
- It definitely feels like
there'’s still a lot unsaid.
♪
- ♪ Saw it in her eyes
[line trilling]
♪
- I wanted to meet up today.
Would that be
all right with you?
- Uh, yeah, that'’s fine.
- All right, see you soon.
[knock at door]
- Hey.
- Hi.
- Good morning.
- Hey.
- How you doing?
- Fine.
- Yeah?
- I'’m good.
- Good to see you.
- Come on in.
- Yeah.
- Hi.
- Hey.
- How are you
feeling today?
- I'’m okay.
Still a little nervous,
but I'’m okay.
- Well, we would love
to hear from you.
Telizza has a lot more things
she'’d like to express,
so however you guys
want to do that.
- Okay, well...
I got a just--a big question,
like, overall.
Hopefully you comfortable
with answering it.
- Mm-hmm.
- Um...
are you into me?
- I'’m into you.
[soft upbeat music]
- You had feelingsfor her,
and you still have
feelings for her?
- Yes.
- Romantic feelings?
- Yes.
- Yesterday I was hurt
when you said
you didn'’t have
feelings for me.
I was like--
- I'’m sorry.
I was scared.
- Yeah.
This might be
the first time
you'’re feeling
all of these things.
- Yeah.
- I don'’t want you
to feel now, even,
that there'’s
any pressure on you
to identify
yourself perfectly
in some easy-to-understand...word.
- I didn'’t expect this
to actually happen,
but I'’m into Telizza.
- I'’m happy
you shared that.
- [chuckles] Thank you.
- I was--
- How does it feel
to talk about that stuff?
- It was hard.
I just don'’t want
to get emotional.
Oh, my God.
[clicks tongue, sighs]
[exhales sharply]
I don'’t like crying.
- Take your time.
We'’re here...to talk about it.
- It was hard for me
even saying all that just now.
- Well, thank you
for sharing it.
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
- So I think it goes
without saying that
you probably want
to deactivate
the Shai profile now?
- Yeah, of course.
- Keep in mind that you were
exploring your sexuality.
You were getting something
valuable out of it,
and you might want
to find other ways
to do that
in your real life.
- Did you have someone
you were talking to?
Did you have
a friend that--
- I didn'’t want to talk
to my friends.
They'’re judgmental.
And then I didn'’t want to tell
my family
because I already know that...
they would'’ve just
talked about me.
- If you told your mom
that you had feelings
for a girl,
what would she say?
- I don'’t know.
My mother'’s very religious.
She--I don'’t know
what she would say.
I don'’t know
what she would say, like--
- You'’re both doing
something difficult,
admitting something that
you haven'’t told lots of people
and having a conversation
about something
for the first time.
- I mean, there'’s more stuff
that I haven'’t told
a lot of people
because I don'’t--
you know, I don'’t like telling
people what I go through.
I like to just
keep it to myself.
- Like what?
- It'’s complicated
because we live in,
like, a shelter.
All of us in, like,
a one-bedroom.
- You and your--
- My mother and my sister
and my brother.
It'’s been a whole year.
It was last year in June.
Like, this guy just knocked
on our door
and was like,
we have to leave.
He'’s evicting us.
The guy that sold
my mother our house,
it was, like, a scam.
Every day my mother,
she, like, she gets up,
and she'’s, like, depressed.
I'’m depressed too a lot.
That'’s basically why I wanted
to come here to meet you guys,
'’cause--couldn'’t go
to where I live.
- That'’s some heavy shit.
- Yeah, it is.
- Why didn'’t you tell
any of that to Telizza?
I mean, she was opening up
to you, and she was--
you were being so wonderful
at listening to her.
- Nobody even knows
any of this.
I couldn'’t really go
to my friends.
I want them to think
that I have a perfect life.
- That mean they not
your friends if you can'’t--
I feel bad because
you was helping me.
I probably could'’ve
helped you.
- Yeah, but you live
in Chicago.
I'’m all the way
in Brooklyn.
- Well, but even if she couldn'’t
have helped you with a bed,
she could'’ve just helped you
as a friend.
- Yeah, but then
I would'’ve said,
"Okay, I live in Brooklyn,"
and then you would'’ve known
automatically
that I wasn'’t
the person, so.
- I don'’t think that
would'’ve mattered, though,
because don'’t nobody deserve
to go through that.
- If you don'’t have a friend
or a person to talk to,
you'’re gonna feel trapped,
and it'’s gonna
make you unhappy.
♪
- I'’m a good friend.
I don'’t leave my friends
on scene.
- Where do you think
you want to go from here?
- I think we should
talk more,
and we just have a friendship
and build upon that.
- Yeah.
- I'’m just glad
you ain'’t Shai no more.
I got tired
of saying that name.
[both laughing]
[energetic music]
[line trilling]
- There we go.
both: Hey!
- Hi!
- What?
- Where are you guys?
- I'’m in Chicago.
I'’m spending the weekend
with her.
- Hi.
- Hey.
- No way.
- Wait, so are you guys just--
- Tell us, what'’s going on?
- What'’s the deal?
- We'’re just friends.
- Friends with benefits?
- Friends with friends.
- [laughs]
- Friends with friends.
Boring.
- We got a lot going on.
- We still talk every day,
even though she gets
on my nerves, like, every day.
- We got the same hairstyle.
- [laughs]
- You was thinking like me.
[laughs]
- No, you was thinking like me.
- So, Telizza,
tell us what'’s new.
- Okay, well,
I started school.
It'’s a lot of work,
but it'’s going very well,
and I'’m still working
currently.
- Nice.
- And Makeda,
what'’s going on with you?
- I'’m leaving for school
in the fall.
- That'’s amazing.
- That is amazing.
- And we still
in the same place,
but we'’re moving
in, like, two weeks.
- Oh, you are?
- Yeah.
- Wow, that'’s great.
So you and your mom
and your sister are still living
in the shelter?
- Yeah.
- But you'’re moving to a house?
- Um, yes.
- They moving to Chicago.
- We'’re not moving
to Chicago.
- [laughs]
- Um,
we'’re moving in a house,
yeah.
- And Makeda, is this
your first time in Chicago?
- My first time, and I always
meant to come here,
so I'’m kind of excited.
- So you know,
nobody makes pizza better
than New York.
- Exactly.
- Wait a minute, what?
Ooh.
So do y'’all'’s look like this?
No.
- Sorry, lady.
- Look, her name is Telizza.
- That'’s true.
- She is--she is named
after pizza, so she'’s got
some sort of authority here.
- [laughs]
- Right!
- Oop.
- Nope, you gotta enjoy
the cheese.
Nope. Nope.
Then do a wipe. Then do a wipe.
- There'’s too much cheese.
- So you still like
New York pizza?
- Yeah, definitely.
- [sighs]
- I'’m impressed,
and I'’m thrilled
that it'’s worked outso well.
- Thank you.
- Have a great
rest of your trip.
- Nice seeing you.
- Bye!
- Bye.
1055
00:41:08.