Catfish: The TV Show (2012–…): Season 6, Episode 6 - Mecca & Tanner - full transcript
Max and co-host iO Tillett Wright help 18-year-old Mecca connect with the boy she's loved for the past 5 years. But when iO discovers that Mecca's digital beau may be using her pictures to catfish others, Mecca needs answers.
- Oh, is that a picture of you?
- That'’s me.
- And you didn'’t post that?
- No.
- Someone'’s been pretending
to be you.
- It'’s just not right.
To me, that'’s not love.
- Five years, she grew up with
this person.
- You wanna just crack
the door open a little?
You'’d be better off if you
just don'’t think about it
and just do it.
[dramatic musical beat]
Here, it'’s just me.
My own show.
Nev is on paternity leave.
He'’s got a darling,
darling baby girl named Cleo,
so I'’ll have
a few guest co-hosts.
One you may know.
- Surprise!
- If you ever watched
Nev'’s other show, "Suspect,"
he was cheating on me
with the incredible iO.
Hi, Nev, how are you
this morning?
- Oh, my God.
- Can I please hug you?
- Yes!
I have so many feelings
right now.
- Who now'’s going to be
filling in for Nev on "Catfish."
- All right, y'’all, here we go.
It'’s a new "Catfish" reality.
- We are already here
in Tampa, Florida.
The producers didn'’t
have to tell me twice
'’cause I love
coming down to Tampa.
[knocking]
That sounds like
an official knock.
- Should I shave the carpet
and tape some of it
to my chest
so you think I'’m Nev?
- [laughs]
Ay!
- Ay!
- How you doing?
- Oh, my God, it'’s like
the two white-hairs united.
- Come on in.
- Thank you.
- And let'’s get
the preferred pronouns
out of the way.
Where are we at on this?
- Oh, we'’re at he/him.
Thank you for asking.
- What about you?
- I am also he/him.
- Oh, cool.
- We'’ll see where I am
at the end of this episode.
[ringing]
- Oh, Nev.
Ay!
- Oh!
Whoa, Daddy Nev,
you look kind of older.
You look more like a man.
- You do look older.
Yeah, the baby has aged you.
- Hold on, wait, let me--
- Oh, my God,
do we get the baby?
- [squeals]
Oh, my God!
- That is a cute, tiny monkey.
- Look at
this head of hair, huh?
- I know.
- Oh, my God,
that is a cute child.
- Here comes Mommy.
- Hi, Mommy.
both: Hey.
- Aww, so now give us some tips.
How do we proceed without you?
- What makes "Catfish"
successful is that I annoy Max.
I'’m very confident that iO
will do a terrific job.
All right, well, I'’m gonna
go change some diapers.
You guys go change some lives.
- Bye!
- All right, we don'’t
need him anymore.
We'’ve got an email here
from Mecca, and it'’s titled,
"My first love is actually
now my second love...
Please help me figure it out."
"Dear Nev and Max..."
- iO and Max.
- Dear--Right, "Dear iO and Max,
My name is Mecca.
"I am an 18-year-old girl living
in Tampa, Florida.
"I met this guy named Ryan
five years ago.
"Ryan lived in Texas, and,
after only a few weeks
of communicating,
he became my first love."
- I don'’t think that'’s
how that works, but okay.
- That was good color
commentary.
"There was just
something about him.
"He just grabbed my attention
by his sweet
"and caring personality.
"Ryan and I would talk
almost nonstop over the phone
"and we were texting
one another 24/7.
"He was able to give me
the love and care
I always wanted from a boy."
- Uh, what, wait, ah.
I think that he'’s a girl.
- You think we'’ve got
a lesbian catfish?
- I think we'’ve got a lesbian--
"talking 24/7"?
Come on.
- You don'’t think
emotionally present Texan male?
- Pfft.
- You think that
that sounds fake?
All right, well let'’s see.
"Around the time I met Ryan,
I was going through
"a very difficult time
in my life.
"I was constantly being bullied
in school and didn'’t really
"have anyone but Ryan
to talk to,
so he was a blessing."
- ♪ I was yours to hold
- "After months of dating,
I was able to convince Ryan
"to video chat, but I couldn'’t
exactly see him
since it was dark
and he had a hoodie on."
Who...
- Somebody who'’s
misrepresenting, obviously.
- That is super sketchy.
"I loved him so much,
but it became obvious
he was lying about something."
- ♪ Like we had it?
Fool'’s gold ♪
- "Finally, Ryan broke down
and admitted he was
"not the guy in the pictures.
"He sent me a picture
of a completely different guy.
"His name was Tanner.
"I know he could still be lying,
but he was my first love.
I still love him.
Please help."
- ♪ Did we really have it?
♪ Or was it only fool'’s gold? ♪
- She'’s got this guy
across the country and--
- And he was there for her
through bullying.
- He was her life support.
So let'’s get Mecca on the horn.
Now she much be expecting Nev...
- I know.
- So don'’t be sad
if she'’s disappointed.
- I'’m gonna be breaking
a lot of hearts today.
- Yeah, I know.
Hello!
- Hi!
- Mecca.
- Hey, I'’m Nev, how are you?
- Oh, hi.
- This is iO.
- Okay.
- He is gonna be
filling in for Nev.
- So sorry to disappoint you.
- Hide your disappointment.
- I'’m so upset.
- I do a good knock.
I can make pun jokes.
- Okay.
- So tell us a little bit
about yourself.
- Um, I'’m 18, so it'’s
my last year in high school.
And I work right now
for my parents
for their food truck.
- What kind of food truck?
- It'’s called Hot Mess.
They cook, like,
Midwest comfort foods,
so, like, loaded tater tots
and bacon wrapped hot dogs.
- So walk us through
this whole thing.
- Okay, five years ago,
I had gotten a message
from a girl.
Her name was Taylor.
She said, "My cousin Ryan
was on my Facebook
"and seeing your pictures
was like, '’Oh, she'’s cute.'’
We wanted to see
if he could have your number."
I said, "Well, I need to see
a picture of the person first."
So she sent a picture
of this really cute guy,
so I gave her my number
to give to him.
And then two weeks
into talking,
we actually decided to date.
- You start dating online.
- Yeah, we were dating.
We would say, like,
"I love you,"
so it was pretty serious.
- You spoke to Ryan
on the phone, though.
- Yes.
- When did Tanner emerge?
- I finally was like,
"I wanna know, who are you?"
Like, you'’ve never
sent me proof.
- Good for you.
- And he said,
"I'’ll be honest with you.
"I'’m not Ryan, and I'’m not
the guy in the pictures.
I'’m Tanner."
[ominous music]
- So where are you at now
with Tanner?
- We still, like, talk as if
we'’re in a relationship
'’cause we both love each other.
I didn'’t quite fit in
with everybody else.
A lot of people picked on me
for how I look,
and he was just, like,
someone that understood me.
I'’m just hoping that
he'’s the person he says he is.
- You'’ve got your life
ahead of you.
You'’re at a crossroads,
and we'’re gonna help you.
- You did such a good job...
- Thank you, I need it.
- On being definitive Nev.
- I was channeling Nev.
I gotta represent.
We actually happen to already
be here in Tampa,
so stay where you are,
and we will be there shortly.
- All right, bye.
- Bye.
- All right, bye.
So first there was Taylor.
And then Ryan--
- We don'’t even know
if Taylor was real.
- We don'’t know.
Taylor'’s probably not real.
- As long as she has a lesbian
giving her that emotional...
- You'’re--
- That sweet, sweet emotional
support, she'’s never...
- Here'’s the thing--
- Gonna be able to top that.
- This is what you'’re doing, iO.
You are letting--
- Projecting myself?
- You--Right.
You are letting your assumptions
cloud your judgment.
- Okay.
- Okay, so you ready to do this?
- I'’m ready.
- Look, we'’re gonna make
a pilgrimage to Mecca right now.
Okay?
- [laughs]
I was waiting for it.
- ♪ I'’m living life golden ♪
♪ Got no need for gold
- If Ryan is lying, we'’re gonna
have to Tampa her expectations.
- [laughs]
- ♪ Living life golden
♪ Got no need for gold
- Oh, God, I'’m about to go meet
my first hopeful.
- Here we go.
There'’s the truck.
- Here'’s your camera back.
- Thank you.
- I'’m doing the knock.
- You can do the knock.
[knocking]
- Hey.
- Hi.
- Hi.
- It'’s Mecca.
- Oh, yeah, I'’m iO.
Nice to meet you.
Hi, who'’s this?
- My dog, Callie.
- Hi, Callie.
- Oh, my God!
- Callie!
- Hi.
- Is this Mom and Dad?
- Yes, that is.
- So you have very strong
examples of true love
to look up to.
- Definitely.
- I see why you are
such a romantic.
- Okay, come in here.
So Mecca...
- Yes.
- You'’re going to college
next year.
- Yes.
- How old is Tanner?
- He'’s, like, 19 years old.
- You'’re not sure.
- They told me 19.
- Who'’s they?
- Well, him.
- "They" meaning Tanner/Ryan.
- They, "Ryan," yeah.
- iO gets hung up on pronouns.
If Tanner identified
as a "they," then we'’d be
in a whole other universe.
- No.
- Let'’s go back in time
five years ago.
You were 13.
- Yep, that'’s when me and him
started talking.
- Okay.
- We were just texting
all the time,
calling each other all the time.
Like, we just
connected very well.
I was getting bullied a lot.
He understood
what I was going through.
He was just able to,
like, comfort me
in all of this and make me feel
a thousand times better.
Like, it was just like my way
of escaping from the real world
by talking to him on the phone.
Once we got to, like,
the two-year mark,
it started getting, like, crazy
because he started to tell me
almost every week
there was a new death
in the family
or death of friends.
And it started getting
to the point where it was just,
like, it'’s really weird.
- Okay, so then you asked
to video chat.
- Yes.
It was pretty dark in the room.
He had a hoodie on, long hair.
He kind of turned his face
a little bit,
and I knew it wasn'’t Ryan.
And so I panicked and hung up.
He calls me right after
and was like, "Hey, I'’ve been
trying to get a hold of you,"
and I was like,
"No, you haven'’t.
I have no missed calls.
I just got off
of video chat with you."
He'’s like, "Maybe someone, like,
hacked my account."
And I said, "Look, I know you'’re
not the person in the pictures."
- This is where Ryan
turns into Tanner?
- [screeches]
- Yes.
I was angry, confused,
but I also was scared
to know the truth because
I was deeply in love with him.
Like, for the remaining time
of us dating,
I didn'’t want to think about it
myself even though it was
in the back of my mind that he'’s
not the person he says he is.
I still love the person.
Who he looks like
doesn'’t have anything
to do with his personality.
- Okay, so I kind of wanna see
everything you got.
Let'’s look at it
on a computer.
All right.
- You can sit down, sweetheart.
- Oh, well, thank you, honey.
- I'’m a little older than you.
- All that gray.
- Yep.
- You wanna see
the pictures of Ryan first?
- Yes, so that'’s Ryan.
- Yes.
- So you'’ve already been told
that that'’s not
who you'’re talking to.
- Yeah.
- Okay.
- Show us Tanner.
- I have--This is a picture,
and that'’s supposedly him.
- So he'’s holding a giant fish.
- He'’s holding a catfish!
- Is that a catfish?
- That is a catfish.
- He'’s telling you what'’s
going on right there.
- Are you kidding me?
- He sent you a picture
of a catfish!
- He'’s holding a catfish.
Yeah, I don'’t know.
He looks like he'’s
in his late teens, early 20s.
What--What else do you have
to show us?
Does Tanner have a page?
- Not from what I know of.
Um, I have Ryan'’s older profile.
- We know that Ryan is a fake.
- Yeah.
- He said in 2012,
"I hope that my baby knows
"that I love her
with all my heart.
I love you, Mecca."
Every single post is about you.
- Is dedicated to you.
- [exclaiming]
GBLTQ Support Group.
- Okay, I'’ve never seen that.
- Nice, nice find.
What 14-year-old straight male
from Texas is part of
a GBLTQ Support Group?
- Yeah.
- Let'’s go to this chat group.
- "GBLTQ Support Group."
People...
- Oh, snap, you wrote something!
"I love hot emo/scene guys!"
- No, I actually never
wrote that, and that'’s weird.
- "I'’m sexy and I know it."
By you.
- No.
- What?
- Here.
- And you posted another one.
Someone'’s been pretending
to be you.
- Is that a picture of you?
- That'’s me.
- And you didn'’t post that?
- No.
- Someone'’s been
pretending to be you.
- That a picture of you?
- That'’s me.
- And you didn'’t post that?
- No.
That'’s creepy.
- Is it--This is the first time
you'’re seeing this?
- Yeah.
- That four years ago,
he posted as you.
- He did have my info, though,
on my Facebook.
- You gave him your password.
- Yeah.
- What?
- '’Cause we were like,
"Oh, trust, blah, blah, blah."
- Why give him your password
in the first place?
- I was young.
- So he signed in
to her account and wrote it
from your account.
- Yeah.
- Oh, no.
- Why would he go on and pretend
to be you on a gay group?
- That'’s--There'’s another one.
- Whoa.
- This is really disturbing.
- Yeah, this is trippy.
- All right, there'’s a lot...
- Wow.
- Of weird stuff going on.
- I know, my head'’s spinning.
- Put this all in an email,
send it to us,
and we'’ll do our work,
and we'’ll get back to you.
- All right.
- Oy-yoy-yoy-yoy-yoy.
- Ah.
- Oh, boy.
- That was weird.
- She'’s smart, but she does not
want to see the truth.
- Right, this guy
is pretending to be Mecca
in a gay, lesbian Facebook
group, so that would say,
"Oh, well, maybe he'’s a gay guy
who'’s in the closet
who wants to explore--"
- Why then wouldn'’t he
just create a Facebook account
as a girl
and go live on the Internet?
- Right.
We'’ll get the answers.
[ominous music]
♪
- I feel like we'’re
Sherlock and Watson.
- Welcome to my life.
- Table for two, please.
- Two.
- Cool, thank you.
- Cool, thank you so much.
- All right, so I get to be
at the control today,
and you get to film.
- Max, you'’ve been waiting
a long time for this moment.
- I have been.
I'’m breaking through
the glass ceiling.
- Through a hairy,
black glass ceiling.
- Uh-huh, you'’re on film detail.
So we'’ve got info here.
"Hey, Max and iO, thank you
so much for meeting/helping me.
Below is the information I have
for Ryan, Tanner, and Taylor."
We have a phone number,
a Facebook page for Taylor,
and then we have photos.
Why don'’t we do
the photos first.
- Okay.
- So let'’s run
these Ryan images.
- Okay.
- Here we go.
We'’re gonna get something.
Oh, nothing'’s coming up.
Let me try this one.
- Wait...
- No, nothing.
- Here'’s the picture of Tanner.
Are we gonna get something?
- Nothing.
- Nothing?
- Nothing for Tanner.
- Okay.
- So we struck out
on the pictures.
Let'’s go to Ryan'’s page.
- We looked yesterday.
All right, this is
clearly a fake.
Whoever this person is admitted
this Ryan Wilson is a fake.
- Right, so this
will do nothing.
- Okay, I'’m gonna say also
this is a crazy thing.
Like, she said that she gave
her Facebook login info
to her boyfriend
who she'’s never met.
Okay, sorry, I know,
I'’m in the "Catfish" universe.
- This is what the kids do.
- The kids need--
Stop doing that!
- Instead of exchanging
bodily fluids, you exchange--
- You exchange passwords?
- Facebook passwords.
- Well, that'’s really gross.
- All right, so Taylor
was the person who originally
reached out to Mecca...
- And connected her with Ryan.
- And connected her,
so it all started with Taylor.
- Mm-hmm, we don'’t even know
if Taylor is a real person.
- So let'’s go to Taylor'’s
Facebook page.
All right, let'’s
look at her photos.
- That'’s it?
- All right, so she hasn'’t
posted any other
pictures of herself,
which would either lead me
to believe that she'’s
just really private or is
maybe a little insecure.
- I'’m gonna go with the latter.
"Hey, I just got a call.
I need you to replace
a shift at work.
Call me when you can."
That'’s from somebody else
to her.
- To her, it'’s posted
as of yesterday.
- So that means
she'’s a real person.
- So--That she knows her
in real life.
- Yeah.
- Where is this person?
Lakeisha.
- Lives in Abilene, Texas.
- Abilene, so let'’s send
Lakeisha a message.
So I just sent that to her.
- Cool.
- What we haven'’t done yet
is run the phone number.
- Ooh.
- Phone number'’s
always the clincher.
So let'’s go to--
Why aren'’t you filming?
- Oh, my God, sorry.
I forgot.
- You'’re blanking on your job.
- Sorry, I forgot I was you.
Sorry, sorry, sorry.
- That'’s strike one.
- [laughs]
- Let'’s run it.
- Run it, run it.
- All right, here we go.
Oh, no name, but look at this,
Brownwood, Texas.
[phone ringing]
Wait, we'’re getting a call.
Oh, boy.
Hello?
- Yes, who is this?
- Hey, Lakeisha.
I'’m here with my substitution
for Nev on this episode, iO.
- Hi.
- We'’re doing an episode
right now, and we'’ve been
kind of doing some research
on Taylor [bleep], and...
- How old is she?
- 19, does Taylor
have a boyfriend?
- One more question,
have you ever heard
of Ryan or Tanner Wilson?
- Well, look, you'’ve been
very helpful, and I hope
you have a lovely day.
- Bye.
- Okay, I feel like maybe we
should just reach out to Taylor.
- Let'’s do it.
- Surprise!
- We are helping Mecca meet up--
- With your cousin.
Sent.
- I feel like Taylor'’s not gonna
call us because Taylor'’s
phone number'’s gonna be the same
as Tanner'’s phone number,
so we should save
his phone number.
- Unless she blocks it.
You'’re right.
That'’s Tanner Wilson.
- The other--
- Oh, my God, I just had a
really frightening realization.
- What?
- I'’m gonna have to
call the catfish.
I don'’t wanna call that person.
- Nev is really good at that.
- I can do it.
- Great.
[phone ringing]
- Oh, oh, boy.
- Tanner Wilson is calling,
and the only way
that Tanner Wilson would call
is if Tanner Wilson
is Taylor and the catfish.
Hello?
- Hello?
- Oh!
- Tanner Wilson is calling
and the only way
that Tanner Wilson would call
is if Tanner Wilson
is Taylor and the catfish.
Hello?
- Hello?
- Hi, who'’s this?
- Hey, Tanner, how did you
get our number?
- Your cousin Taylor
gave you our number.
Cool.
- Okay, okay, that'’s--
I think that she might be
expecting that,
and she might be
more understanding about that
than you think.
- Look, Mecca knows
that something is up, and,
after years of sending her
pictures of the people
that are not necessarily you,
you owe it to her
to tell her the truth in person.
- Sure, you have our number,
let us know what you think.
- Thanks, Tanner.
- All right.
Tanner'’s a girl.
- Uh, I think Tanner is trans.
I think Tanner is Taylor,
and then identifies as Tanner.
And that'’s why Tanner is such
a similar name to Taylor.
- To Taylor.
- I call somebody,
I have a girl'’s voice,
and I say that I'’m a he.
- You could be right.
- I think we just have to
go over and prepare Mecca
for the possibility that this
is a girl or that this
is a trans person
and see what she says.
- All right.
[phone ringing]
- Hey, Mecca, it'’s iO and Max.
We'’re wondering if you
wanted to meet up.
- Okay, bye.
- Bye.
- I know that you'’ve been doing
this for six seasons,
but, for me, being inside
of "Catfish" for the first time,
it just breaks my heart
that people have to resort
to creating multiple identities
for themselves
because they'’ve been told
who they really are
is not enough
and that sucks.
- Yeah, oh, there'’s truck!
- Oh, there'’s the truck!
- There it is.
Get the--film that!
- God!
- When things happen,
you gotta film it.
All right, let'’s get some food.
Look at this Hot Mess
in front of us.
- Ay-o!
- Mecca and family.
- How you doing?
- Wow.
Your hair matches the truck!
- Hi!
- Right, I'’m that girl.
- You are that girl.
- Oh, yeah, you'’re that girl.
- Hi, I'’m Max.
- How you doing?
Max, Heather.
- Hey, Heather,
nice to meet you.
- Hey, iO, nice to meet you.
- iO.
- Hey, Damion.
- Hey, Damion.
- Um, can we eat?
- Yeah, get in there.
- Okay, here'’s some Mexi.
- Yeah!
- What are we working with here?
- That'’s the Mexi Tots.
- How is it, Max?
- Wow, that is good.
So we did some investigation.
We found some things.
- Okay.
- Mom, if you want to join...
- 100%.
- Dad, someone has to...
- Clean the truck.
- Hold down the fort.
- Right?
- Let'’s do it.
- So, Heather, what do you know?
- Well, five years ago,
she was 13 years old.
I felt like to have
a boyfriend so far away,
that it was less of a threat,
you know?
Like, he lives in Texas, or,
you know, like, it'’ll be good.
But I felt honestly like
this person has lied
about so many things.
- I'’ve trusted him,
and he could be just like
catfishing other people
using my profile.
That is way bigger to me,
honestly, that you used me
to do this to other people.
- It'’s one thing to kind of
be lied to, and then
it'’s another thing to be used.
- Yeah.
- Honestly, I just want her
to get her answers.
This is my job, right here.
- So come over here.
We did a bunch of research.
The first thing we did
was we searched pictures.
- Okay.
- And we found nothing,
which doesn'’t mean anything.
We know that Ryan
is not the person
you'’ve been talking to.
- Yeah.
- Now the question is,
is Tanner Tanner?
- Yeah.
- So then, we looked
into Taylor [bleep].
We went down her timeline.
We saw this from two days ago.
"Hey, just got a call.
I need you to replace
a shift at work."
But this person,
Lakeisha, seems to know her.
We spoke to Lakeisha.
She said she works with Taylor.
- Okay.
- In Brownwood, Texas.
So Taylor'’s a real girl.
Taylor talks a lot
about her cousins.
- Who are boys.
- Okay.
- But, we decided
to message Taylor, just thought,
"Oh, well, maybe Taylor
will reach out to us."
The phone rang, it was Tanner.
- We spoke to Tanner,
and we heard his voice.
It sounded unisex,
but we don'’t know at this point.
- We tried to encourage Tanner
to meet up with you,
and he said that he was scared.
So I asked him why, and he said,
"Well, because the person
in the pictures is not me."
- ♪ We'’re starting over ♪
- "But I am Tanner," he said.
- I really hope that there
is a Tanner
that I'’ve been talking to.
- As in, there'’s a guy
that you'’ve been talking to
or that there'’s
a guy named Tanner, person?
- A guy named Tanner
that I'’ve been talking to.
- ♪ Do you love me?
- '’Cause if I can'’t get this,
then I can'’t talk to him
because it hurts me even more.
- ♪ Because you'’ll never know ♪
♪ You'’ll never know,
oh, what you really mean ♪
- She needs her answers.
She deserves it.
This person has a lot
of explaining to do.
- ♪ '’Cause who you love'’s me ♪
- All right, I think
there'’s a possibility
that Tanner is Taylor
and was born a girl
but is transgender
and has to live as Taylor.
Another possibility is that
Tanner is a complete fabrication
and Taylor is a lesbian
and is scared to tell you that.
- Or Tanner is Taylor'’s cousin
and is insecure
because of how he looks.
We don'’t know at this point,
but we at least have narrowed
our search down
to Brownwood, Texas.
We know where Taylor works.
We know the address
that the phone number
is connected to.
- We could go to Brownwood
and show up at this place.
- We could probably figure out
who this person is.
- I just--I feel like I really
need to meet this person.
I need to see who the person is
and get the answers that I need.
- Pack a bag, and tomorrow
we leave for Dallas.
- Can she go with?
- Do you wanna come?
- Most definitely, I wanna
be there for my daughter.
- Mom wants to come.
- Sean, do we have room?
- Great.
You ready?
I'’m ready.
- All right.
Let'’s do it.
- We'’re gonna get you
some answers.
[phone pings]
- Oh, okay, so I just got
a text from Tanner.
I'’m gonna write back.
Okay.
[phone pings]
Oh.
Got something, what'’d they say?
"Okay."
They said, "Okay."
All right, so I'’m gonna
go downstairs so we can
have this phone call.
All right, so heading
to the PO now.
That'’s the production office.
We always have
a production office
in every hotel we stay in.
That'’s where the crew
is gonna be.
That'’s where they are now.
Just joking around
and not working.
- Aww, man.
- Aww.
- Okay.
- Is he calling us,
or are we calling him?
- No, we'’re gonna call him.
I think I'’m more nervous
than he is.
- You have reached the
voicemail box of--
[phone ringing]
- Oh, wait, FaceTime?
- FaceTime?
- Get the camera!
- Oh, [bleep].
FaceTime, FaceTime, FaceTime,
FaceTime, FaceTime!
- You ready?
- Yes, oh, I'’m ready.
Oh, I'’m ready.
- Hello?
- Oh, wait, FaceTime?
- FaceTime?
- Get the camera!
- Oh, [bleep].
- This has never happened
on our show.
- You ready?
- FaceTime, yes,
oh, I'’m ready, oh, my God.
- Hello?
- Can you see us?
- We can only see
your nose and mouth.
- Can we see your face?
- Look, we'’ve gone over certain
possibilities with Mecca.
We'’ve talked about
the strong possibility
that you'’re a girl
or that you could even be--
- Okay, well,
that conversation'’s over.
- Look, Mecca'’s
ready for anything.
She'’s ready for you to be a boy,
a girl, Donald Trump, whoever,
as long as it is the truth.
- Right on, Tanner.
- I think that'’s probably
the best way to look at this,
and the way that you'’ll be able
to actually face
the moment and do it.
Where should I tell her
we'’re going?
- Will you text us a place
to meet tomorrow afternoon?
- Well, Tanner, thank you
for doing this.
- Yeah, see you tomorrow.
- All right, bye.
- Bye.
- All right.
- Yeah, I'’ve never been--
- But I think this catfish
wants to get caught.
That person was female for sure.
- We don'’t know.
It could be someone
who'’s confused.
It could be someone--
Whatever it is, they are down
to meet Mecca tomorrow
in the suburbs of Dallas.
- Okay, good night, everyone.
See you in Dallas.
- Good night, guys.
- Ay!
- Hey.
- Good morning.
- We had a conversation
yesterday with Tanner.
He actually FaceTimed us.
He was wearing, like,
a black robe with a hood on.
- Like a gigantic, Sith Lord--
- "Star Wars" thing.
- Like this.
But we do know that there is a
human
on the other end of the phone
who is very scared to meet you.
I think it'’s worth
getting on a plane about.
- I wanna know who
the person in the robe is.
- So do we!
[laughter]
- I got a plane to catch.
Have you ever been
to Texas before?
- No.
- ♪ I chain smoke,
drink too much ♪
♪ Lose my luck playing
poker all night long ♪
- I'’m nervous.
- iO is not nervous.
- Not nervous.
- ♪ Are you too naive?
♪ Are you lying to yourself
♪ Just to believe?
♪ Stay up late,
caffeine buzz ♪
♪ We'’ve all got bad habits
we don'’t want ♪
♪ I must confess
- So I got some text messages.
So we got an address.
It'’s in Grapevine, Texas,
and he says, "I am home now."
- Okay.
- So we'’re gonna meet him
at his house.
- I trust you guys.
Take care of my daughter.
- We will.
- All right.
- You'’ve got this.
- Okay.
- You got this.
I love you.
- Love you too.
- Let'’s do it.
- [sighs]
- Yeah, do you have
any theories now,
with everything
that we know, Mecca?
- Like, it'’s just hard to tell
if it'’s a boy or a girl.
It'’s like, I don'’t know
who I'’m talking to.
Like, why they do it.
And wondering, like,
what went through their head,
like, when they lied to me
the second time.
Especially, like,
with my Facebook
that he used and stuff.
Was he trying to catfish people
with my Facebook?
- It'’s possible.
This is the street.
- Oh, my.
- Ready?
- Nervous, but I'’m ready.
[ominous music]
♪
- I'’ll do the knock.
- Okay.
- He'’s earned the knock.
He'’s been waiting five years
to do the knock.
It'’s gonna be okay.
♪
Come on, Tanner.
- Hey, Tanner, it'’s Max.
It'’s gonna be okay.
We'’ve got Mecca here.
She'’s--she'’s literally ready
for anything,
and she'’s pretty scared herself.
- Come on, Tanner, come on.
- You wanna just crack the door
open a little so we can talk?
- You wanna just crack the door
open a little so we can talk?
Why don'’t you come out?
I think you'’d be better off
if you just don'’t think about it
and just do it.
It'’s gonna be okay.
Come on.
[ominous music]
♪
Tanner?
- It'’s Taylor.
- Taylor.
- Why?
Why did--why did you do this?
- It'’s just hard
to explain, I guess.
I'’m sorry.
- How many other people
have you done this to?
- Only you.
- I'’d love to kind of hear
how this started for you.
- You know, at first,
I started talking to her
as Taylor, and then I asked her
the question,
"Are you interested in girls?"
She said, "No."
I didn'’t respect her decision
of what her sexuality was,
so that'’s when Ryan came up
in the picture.
- So you made up Ryan for Mecca?
- Yes, but I never meant
to hurt you.
That'’s not my intentions.
- Well, I found out something
very interesting,
that you added me to a group
for gays and lesbians
and you went on there
and acted like me.
Saying for people to hit you up
and everything, on my profile.
- I honestly
don'’t remember that.
It'’s been a very long time.
- You used Mecca to go onto
this group and post as her,
so I think all of us
are a little bit confused.
- You know, I'’m pretty sure
you do remember that,
but I honestly don'’t.
- Look, we'’re here now.
- Right.
- We came a very long way.
- Right.
- We wanna give you
the benefit of the doubt.
There are some things
that are hard to believe.
- Yeah, you told me that,
like, every week
or a couple weeks there was
a new death in the family.
Were those all true?
- No.
- And what about
all your friends
that have died and stuff?
- Yes.
- They kill themselves?
- Yeah.
- Is this not an easy place
to be gay?
- It'’s not.
It'’s really not.
It'’s just a town full of, like,
you know, churches.
It'’s just--it'’s hard
to live in a small town
where everybody knows everybody.
- Are you out to your family?
- I don'’t know
how to tell them, or, you know,
come out to them
or anything like that.
- '’Cause when this airs--
- It'’s now or never
to come clean to everybody.
And it'’s hard.
It'’s about Mecca.
It'’s for Mecca.
You mean so much to me
to the point where, you know,
I--well, I had to do this
in person and come out to you.
I understand what I did to you
hurt you.
I'’m sorry.
You know, I may not be
the real person,
but everything that I have
for you is completely true.
The feelings, the emotions,
everything is true.
And I still love you.
- ♪ For all you know,
we'’re broken pieces ♪
- I just need some air.
I'’m just gonna back away
for a second.
- Do you wanna sit in the car?
- Please.
- ♪ Hold on, I got a feeling
like this is almost over ♪
- What do you hope is gonna
come from your relationship
with Mecca now?
- What I want to gain is,
you know, trust from her again.
And I understand that'’s
gonna take a very long time,
and she means so much to me,
so I don'’t want her
out of my life.
I never meant to hurt her
the way I did.
- Well, look, let'’s regroup
tomorrow and see where we stand.
- Thank you.
- Thanks.
- ♪ I'’ve given everything,
I'’ve given everything ♪
♪ I'’ve given everything,
and it'’s over ♪
- How was that?
- I'’m just, like,
really hurt right now.
- I wish I could tell you
something that would
make you feel better right now.
- ♪ Hold on, I got a feeling
like this is almost over ♪
- Do you remember her asking you
if you were into girls?
- To be honest,
it was so long ago, I remember--
[phone ringing]
- Is that her?
Put it on speaker.
- Taylor, what'’s going on?
[phone ringing]
- Taylor?
- Anything else you got?
- All right, Taylor, well,
then we'’ll talk to you tomorrow.
- Bye.
- It'’s just not right.
To me, that'’s not love.
[melancholy music]
♪
[knocking]
- Hey.
- Hi.
- So what happened after
we said good-bye yesterday?
- I pretty much was, like,
thinking about it a lot,
and I did get emotional thinking
about when they lied
about their friends
committing suicide, like,
that'’s happened
actually in my life.
That'’s not something
you make up lies about.
- You'’re right.
Like, there is something
[bleep] up when someone'’s
looking you dead in the eye,
face to face and just kind of,
you know--
- Lie to me, definitely.
- Yeah, it'’s time for you
to get what you need.
[phone ringing]
- Hello?
- Hey, we were wondering
if you wanted to meet up.
- All right, sweet.
We'’ll see you there.
- Okay.
I wonder if she'’s gonna
let us see her hair today.
- Right, I have a feeling...
- Yeah.
- That she'’s gonna keep
a hoodie on.
- Okay, this is where
she told us to meet her.
You ready?
- I'’m ready.
[ominous music]
♪
- There'’s something about, like,
once you are a catfish,
everything about you is devious.
- I think this is her.
- Hey.
- How are y'’all?
- Hello.
- Hey.
- Thanks for coming out again,
and thanks for calling us
in the car yesterday.
- Yeah.
- I think Mecca--
she'’s got a lot of questions
and feelings.
- The one thing
that really bothered me
was the fact that you sat there
and pretty much lied to my face,
saying that your friends
had committed suicide.
That'’s actually happened
in my life.
- I'’m sorry, I just--
I was scared,
but most of everything
that I told you is true.
- Okay, but here'’s the thing,
right, you used Mecca
to go on to this group
and post as her.
- I know, there'’s no excuse
for me to do that, you know?
Like, I shouldn'’t have done that
and that was wrong of me.
I was scared that people were
gonna find out that I was gay,
and where I come from, it'’s--
people don'’t really accept that.
Going on Facebook, and then
just talking to other people
as Mecca was, like,
so much easier.
- But, like,
you portrayed me as gay.
- Yeah.
- And, like, that--
that'’s not right.
I would'’ve helped you
through some of that,
and I wish that you could'’ve
just been honest with me.
- It'’s just, you know,
being scared, you know,
like, "What will she do?
What will she say?
What will her expression be?"
You know?
'’Cause there'’s something in you,
it'’s like a spark.
There'’s something in you
that I can'’t get away from.
- There is going to be
somebody in your life
who is going to love you as you,
who is gay, who wants
to be with you in that way,
who'’s gonna make you feel
many of the things
that Mecca made you feel--
- I know.
- Because your job
is to take the risk
of being your authentic self
with people,
but you'’ve gotta let them decide
if they wanna love you.
- We'’re gonna step away,
so get what you need.
- I'’m willing to work with it.
I'’m willing to work with you
to earn your trust back.
You know, I'’ve had many people
come and go throughout my life,
but one thing
that I would hate to see
is for you to come and go.
I would love for you
to come and stay.
- But, like, obviously, you know
that, like, I'’m straight.
I don'’t like girls,
but I would like
something positive out of this.
- I just don'’t want us
to, like, lose contact.
- Hey, we decided that
we'’re gonna take some time
for ourselves
and maybe reconnect
sometime in the future.
- All right, thank you for--
- Thank you.
- Coming out and being honest.
- I'’m gonna go.
[gentle piano]
- ♪ We could stop this now
before it starts ♪
♪ Can we just stay here
♪ Stay here?
- How do you feel?
- I feel like I can breathe now.
I feel like all this is just
a weight off my shoulders.
- ♪ Don'’t wanna get left out in
the cold again ♪
- Now I feel like I'’m ready to
just focus on myself, honestly.
- Stay single for a while.
- Yeah, for a long while.
- ♪ I want you to want me
[phone ringing]
- Mecca!
- Yay!
- Hey, um--
- What'’s going on
with you and Taylor?
Have you guys talked?
- Oh, just cut right to it, iO.
- Sorry!
I mean...
- All right, what'’s the deal?
- We haven'’t contacted
each other since.
- You guys haven'’t
spoken at all?
- No, I haven'’t heard
anything from her.
- Do you miss the relationship?
- At times, I do.
I hope sooner or later
we can be friends,
but maybe she just needs time
so she can figure out
what'’s going on in her life.
I'’m hoping everything
works out for both of us.
- All right.
- You'’re such a sweetheart,
Mecca.
- I try.
- All right, Mecca.
Good luck with everything.
- Thank you.
- Bye, Mecca.
- Bye.
- Bye.
949
00:40:41.
- That'’s me.
- And you didn'’t post that?
- No.
- Someone'’s been pretending
to be you.
- It'’s just not right.
To me, that'’s not love.
- Five years, she grew up with
this person.
- You wanna just crack
the door open a little?
You'’d be better off if you
just don'’t think about it
and just do it.
[dramatic musical beat]
Here, it'’s just me.
My own show.
Nev is on paternity leave.
He'’s got a darling,
darling baby girl named Cleo,
so I'’ll have
a few guest co-hosts.
One you may know.
- Surprise!
- If you ever watched
Nev'’s other show, "Suspect,"
he was cheating on me
with the incredible iO.
Hi, Nev, how are you
this morning?
- Oh, my God.
- Can I please hug you?
- Yes!
I have so many feelings
right now.
- Who now'’s going to be
filling in for Nev on "Catfish."
- All right, y'’all, here we go.
It'’s a new "Catfish" reality.
- We are already here
in Tampa, Florida.
The producers didn'’t
have to tell me twice
'’cause I love
coming down to Tampa.
[knocking]
That sounds like
an official knock.
- Should I shave the carpet
and tape some of it
to my chest
so you think I'’m Nev?
- [laughs]
Ay!
- Ay!
- How you doing?
- Oh, my God, it'’s like
the two white-hairs united.
- Come on in.
- Thank you.
- And let'’s get
the preferred pronouns
out of the way.
Where are we at on this?
- Oh, we'’re at he/him.
Thank you for asking.
- What about you?
- I am also he/him.
- Oh, cool.
- We'’ll see where I am
at the end of this episode.
[ringing]
- Oh, Nev.
Ay!
- Oh!
Whoa, Daddy Nev,
you look kind of older.
You look more like a man.
- You do look older.
Yeah, the baby has aged you.
- Hold on, wait, let me--
- Oh, my God,
do we get the baby?
- [squeals]
Oh, my God!
- That is a cute, tiny monkey.
- Look at
this head of hair, huh?
- I know.
- Oh, my God,
that is a cute child.
- Here comes Mommy.
- Hi, Mommy.
both: Hey.
- Aww, so now give us some tips.
How do we proceed without you?
- What makes "Catfish"
successful is that I annoy Max.
I'’m very confident that iO
will do a terrific job.
All right, well, I'’m gonna
go change some diapers.
You guys go change some lives.
- Bye!
- All right, we don'’t
need him anymore.
We'’ve got an email here
from Mecca, and it'’s titled,
"My first love is actually
now my second love...
Please help me figure it out."
"Dear Nev and Max..."
- iO and Max.
- Dear--Right, "Dear iO and Max,
My name is Mecca.
"I am an 18-year-old girl living
in Tampa, Florida.
"I met this guy named Ryan
five years ago.
"Ryan lived in Texas, and,
after only a few weeks
of communicating,
he became my first love."
- I don'’t think that'’s
how that works, but okay.
- That was good color
commentary.
"There was just
something about him.
"He just grabbed my attention
by his sweet
"and caring personality.
"Ryan and I would talk
almost nonstop over the phone
"and we were texting
one another 24/7.
"He was able to give me
the love and care
I always wanted from a boy."
- Uh, what, wait, ah.
I think that he'’s a girl.
- You think we'’ve got
a lesbian catfish?
- I think we'’ve got a lesbian--
"talking 24/7"?
Come on.
- You don'’t think
emotionally present Texan male?
- Pfft.
- You think that
that sounds fake?
All right, well let'’s see.
"Around the time I met Ryan,
I was going through
"a very difficult time
in my life.
"I was constantly being bullied
in school and didn'’t really
"have anyone but Ryan
to talk to,
so he was a blessing."
- ♪ I was yours to hold
- "After months of dating,
I was able to convince Ryan
"to video chat, but I couldn'’t
exactly see him
since it was dark
and he had a hoodie on."
Who...
- Somebody who'’s
misrepresenting, obviously.
- That is super sketchy.
"I loved him so much,
but it became obvious
he was lying about something."
- ♪ Like we had it?
Fool'’s gold ♪
- "Finally, Ryan broke down
and admitted he was
"not the guy in the pictures.
"He sent me a picture
of a completely different guy.
"His name was Tanner.
"I know he could still be lying,
but he was my first love.
I still love him.
Please help."
- ♪ Did we really have it?
♪ Or was it only fool'’s gold? ♪
- She'’s got this guy
across the country and--
- And he was there for her
through bullying.
- He was her life support.
So let'’s get Mecca on the horn.
Now she much be expecting Nev...
- I know.
- So don'’t be sad
if she'’s disappointed.
- I'’m gonna be breaking
a lot of hearts today.
- Yeah, I know.
Hello!
- Hi!
- Mecca.
- Hey, I'’m Nev, how are you?
- Oh, hi.
- This is iO.
- Okay.
- He is gonna be
filling in for Nev.
- So sorry to disappoint you.
- Hide your disappointment.
- I'’m so upset.
- I do a good knock.
I can make pun jokes.
- Okay.
- So tell us a little bit
about yourself.
- Um, I'’m 18, so it'’s
my last year in high school.
And I work right now
for my parents
for their food truck.
- What kind of food truck?
- It'’s called Hot Mess.
They cook, like,
Midwest comfort foods,
so, like, loaded tater tots
and bacon wrapped hot dogs.
- So walk us through
this whole thing.
- Okay, five years ago,
I had gotten a message
from a girl.
Her name was Taylor.
She said, "My cousin Ryan
was on my Facebook
"and seeing your pictures
was like, '’Oh, she'’s cute.'’
We wanted to see
if he could have your number."
I said, "Well, I need to see
a picture of the person first."
So she sent a picture
of this really cute guy,
so I gave her my number
to give to him.
And then two weeks
into talking,
we actually decided to date.
- You start dating online.
- Yeah, we were dating.
We would say, like,
"I love you,"
so it was pretty serious.
- You spoke to Ryan
on the phone, though.
- Yes.
- When did Tanner emerge?
- I finally was like,
"I wanna know, who are you?"
Like, you'’ve never
sent me proof.
- Good for you.
- And he said,
"I'’ll be honest with you.
"I'’m not Ryan, and I'’m not
the guy in the pictures.
I'’m Tanner."
[ominous music]
- So where are you at now
with Tanner?
- We still, like, talk as if
we'’re in a relationship
'’cause we both love each other.
I didn'’t quite fit in
with everybody else.
A lot of people picked on me
for how I look,
and he was just, like,
someone that understood me.
I'’m just hoping that
he'’s the person he says he is.
- You'’ve got your life
ahead of you.
You'’re at a crossroads,
and we'’re gonna help you.
- You did such a good job...
- Thank you, I need it.
- On being definitive Nev.
- I was channeling Nev.
I gotta represent.
We actually happen to already
be here in Tampa,
so stay where you are,
and we will be there shortly.
- All right, bye.
- Bye.
- All right, bye.
So first there was Taylor.
And then Ryan--
- We don'’t even know
if Taylor was real.
- We don'’t know.
Taylor'’s probably not real.
- As long as she has a lesbian
giving her that emotional...
- You'’re--
- That sweet, sweet emotional
support, she'’s never...
- Here'’s the thing--
- Gonna be able to top that.
- This is what you'’re doing, iO.
You are letting--
- Projecting myself?
- You--Right.
You are letting your assumptions
cloud your judgment.
- Okay.
- Okay, so you ready to do this?
- I'’m ready.
- Look, we'’re gonna make
a pilgrimage to Mecca right now.
Okay?
- [laughs]
I was waiting for it.
- ♪ I'’m living life golden ♪
♪ Got no need for gold
- If Ryan is lying, we'’re gonna
have to Tampa her expectations.
- [laughs]
- ♪ Living life golden
♪ Got no need for gold
- Oh, God, I'’m about to go meet
my first hopeful.
- Here we go.
There'’s the truck.
- Here'’s your camera back.
- Thank you.
- I'’m doing the knock.
- You can do the knock.
[knocking]
- Hey.
- Hi.
- Hi.
- It'’s Mecca.
- Oh, yeah, I'’m iO.
Nice to meet you.
Hi, who'’s this?
- My dog, Callie.
- Hi, Callie.
- Oh, my God!
- Callie!
- Hi.
- Is this Mom and Dad?
- Yes, that is.
- So you have very strong
examples of true love
to look up to.
- Definitely.
- I see why you are
such a romantic.
- Okay, come in here.
So Mecca...
- Yes.
- You'’re going to college
next year.
- Yes.
- How old is Tanner?
- He'’s, like, 19 years old.
- You'’re not sure.
- They told me 19.
- Who'’s they?
- Well, him.
- "They" meaning Tanner/Ryan.
- They, "Ryan," yeah.
- iO gets hung up on pronouns.
If Tanner identified
as a "they," then we'’d be
in a whole other universe.
- No.
- Let'’s go back in time
five years ago.
You were 13.
- Yep, that'’s when me and him
started talking.
- Okay.
- We were just texting
all the time,
calling each other all the time.
Like, we just
connected very well.
I was getting bullied a lot.
He understood
what I was going through.
He was just able to,
like, comfort me
in all of this and make me feel
a thousand times better.
Like, it was just like my way
of escaping from the real world
by talking to him on the phone.
Once we got to, like,
the two-year mark,
it started getting, like, crazy
because he started to tell me
almost every week
there was a new death
in the family
or death of friends.
And it started getting
to the point where it was just,
like, it'’s really weird.
- Okay, so then you asked
to video chat.
- Yes.
It was pretty dark in the room.
He had a hoodie on, long hair.
He kind of turned his face
a little bit,
and I knew it wasn'’t Ryan.
And so I panicked and hung up.
He calls me right after
and was like, "Hey, I'’ve been
trying to get a hold of you,"
and I was like,
"No, you haven'’t.
I have no missed calls.
I just got off
of video chat with you."
He'’s like, "Maybe someone, like,
hacked my account."
And I said, "Look, I know you'’re
not the person in the pictures."
- This is where Ryan
turns into Tanner?
- [screeches]
- Yes.
I was angry, confused,
but I also was scared
to know the truth because
I was deeply in love with him.
Like, for the remaining time
of us dating,
I didn'’t want to think about it
myself even though it was
in the back of my mind that he'’s
not the person he says he is.
I still love the person.
Who he looks like
doesn'’t have anything
to do with his personality.
- Okay, so I kind of wanna see
everything you got.
Let'’s look at it
on a computer.
All right.
- You can sit down, sweetheart.
- Oh, well, thank you, honey.
- I'’m a little older than you.
- All that gray.
- Yep.
- You wanna see
the pictures of Ryan first?
- Yes, so that'’s Ryan.
- Yes.
- So you'’ve already been told
that that'’s not
who you'’re talking to.
- Yeah.
- Okay.
- Show us Tanner.
- I have--This is a picture,
and that'’s supposedly him.
- So he'’s holding a giant fish.
- He'’s holding a catfish!
- Is that a catfish?
- That is a catfish.
- He'’s telling you what'’s
going on right there.
- Are you kidding me?
- He sent you a picture
of a catfish!
- He'’s holding a catfish.
Yeah, I don'’t know.
He looks like he'’s
in his late teens, early 20s.
What--What else do you have
to show us?
Does Tanner have a page?
- Not from what I know of.
Um, I have Ryan'’s older profile.
- We know that Ryan is a fake.
- Yeah.
- He said in 2012,
"I hope that my baby knows
"that I love her
with all my heart.
I love you, Mecca."
Every single post is about you.
- Is dedicated to you.
- [exclaiming]
GBLTQ Support Group.
- Okay, I'’ve never seen that.
- Nice, nice find.
What 14-year-old straight male
from Texas is part of
a GBLTQ Support Group?
- Yeah.
- Let'’s go to this chat group.
- "GBLTQ Support Group."
People...
- Oh, snap, you wrote something!
"I love hot emo/scene guys!"
- No, I actually never
wrote that, and that'’s weird.
- "I'’m sexy and I know it."
By you.
- No.
- What?
- Here.
- And you posted another one.
Someone'’s been pretending
to be you.
- Is that a picture of you?
- That'’s me.
- And you didn'’t post that?
- No.
- Someone'’s been
pretending to be you.
- That a picture of you?
- That'’s me.
- And you didn'’t post that?
- No.
That'’s creepy.
- Is it--This is the first time
you'’re seeing this?
- Yeah.
- That four years ago,
he posted as you.
- He did have my info, though,
on my Facebook.
- You gave him your password.
- Yeah.
- What?
- '’Cause we were like,
"Oh, trust, blah, blah, blah."
- Why give him your password
in the first place?
- I was young.
- So he signed in
to her account and wrote it
from your account.
- Yeah.
- Oh, no.
- Why would he go on and pretend
to be you on a gay group?
- That'’s--There'’s another one.
- Whoa.
- This is really disturbing.
- Yeah, this is trippy.
- All right, there'’s a lot...
- Wow.
- Of weird stuff going on.
- I know, my head'’s spinning.
- Put this all in an email,
send it to us,
and we'’ll do our work,
and we'’ll get back to you.
- All right.
- Oy-yoy-yoy-yoy-yoy.
- Ah.
- Oh, boy.
- That was weird.
- She'’s smart, but she does not
want to see the truth.
- Right, this guy
is pretending to be Mecca
in a gay, lesbian Facebook
group, so that would say,
"Oh, well, maybe he'’s a gay guy
who'’s in the closet
who wants to explore--"
- Why then wouldn'’t he
just create a Facebook account
as a girl
and go live on the Internet?
- Right.
We'’ll get the answers.
[ominous music]
♪
- I feel like we'’re
Sherlock and Watson.
- Welcome to my life.
- Table for two, please.
- Two.
- Cool, thank you.
- Cool, thank you so much.
- All right, so I get to be
at the control today,
and you get to film.
- Max, you'’ve been waiting
a long time for this moment.
- I have been.
I'’m breaking through
the glass ceiling.
- Through a hairy,
black glass ceiling.
- Uh-huh, you'’re on film detail.
So we'’ve got info here.
"Hey, Max and iO, thank you
so much for meeting/helping me.
Below is the information I have
for Ryan, Tanner, and Taylor."
We have a phone number,
a Facebook page for Taylor,
and then we have photos.
Why don'’t we do
the photos first.
- Okay.
- So let'’s run
these Ryan images.
- Okay.
- Here we go.
We'’re gonna get something.
Oh, nothing'’s coming up.
Let me try this one.
- Wait...
- No, nothing.
- Here'’s the picture of Tanner.
Are we gonna get something?
- Nothing.
- Nothing?
- Nothing for Tanner.
- Okay.
- So we struck out
on the pictures.
Let'’s go to Ryan'’s page.
- We looked yesterday.
All right, this is
clearly a fake.
Whoever this person is admitted
this Ryan Wilson is a fake.
- Right, so this
will do nothing.
- Okay, I'’m gonna say also
this is a crazy thing.
Like, she said that she gave
her Facebook login info
to her boyfriend
who she'’s never met.
Okay, sorry, I know,
I'’m in the "Catfish" universe.
- This is what the kids do.
- The kids need--
Stop doing that!
- Instead of exchanging
bodily fluids, you exchange--
- You exchange passwords?
- Facebook passwords.
- Well, that'’s really gross.
- All right, so Taylor
was the person who originally
reached out to Mecca...
- And connected her with Ryan.
- And connected her,
so it all started with Taylor.
- Mm-hmm, we don'’t even know
if Taylor is a real person.
- So let'’s go to Taylor'’s
Facebook page.
All right, let'’s
look at her photos.
- That'’s it?
- All right, so she hasn'’t
posted any other
pictures of herself,
which would either lead me
to believe that she'’s
just really private or is
maybe a little insecure.
- I'’m gonna go with the latter.
"Hey, I just got a call.
I need you to replace
a shift at work.
Call me when you can."
That'’s from somebody else
to her.
- To her, it'’s posted
as of yesterday.
- So that means
she'’s a real person.
- So--That she knows her
in real life.
- Yeah.
- Where is this person?
Lakeisha.
- Lives in Abilene, Texas.
- Abilene, so let'’s send
Lakeisha a message.
So I just sent that to her.
- Cool.
- What we haven'’t done yet
is run the phone number.
- Ooh.
- Phone number'’s
always the clincher.
So let'’s go to--
Why aren'’t you filming?
- Oh, my God, sorry.
I forgot.
- You'’re blanking on your job.
- Sorry, I forgot I was you.
Sorry, sorry, sorry.
- That'’s strike one.
- [laughs]
- Let'’s run it.
- Run it, run it.
- All right, here we go.
Oh, no name, but look at this,
Brownwood, Texas.
[phone ringing]
Wait, we'’re getting a call.
Oh, boy.
Hello?
- Yes, who is this?
- Hey, Lakeisha.
I'’m here with my substitution
for Nev on this episode, iO.
- Hi.
- We'’re doing an episode
right now, and we'’ve been
kind of doing some research
on Taylor [bleep], and...
- How old is she?
- 19, does Taylor
have a boyfriend?
- One more question,
have you ever heard
of Ryan or Tanner Wilson?
- Well, look, you'’ve been
very helpful, and I hope
you have a lovely day.
- Bye.
- Okay, I feel like maybe we
should just reach out to Taylor.
- Let'’s do it.
- Surprise!
- We are helping Mecca meet up--
- With your cousin.
Sent.
- I feel like Taylor'’s not gonna
call us because Taylor'’s
phone number'’s gonna be the same
as Tanner'’s phone number,
so we should save
his phone number.
- Unless she blocks it.
You'’re right.
That'’s Tanner Wilson.
- The other--
- Oh, my God, I just had a
really frightening realization.
- What?
- I'’m gonna have to
call the catfish.
I don'’t wanna call that person.
- Nev is really good at that.
- I can do it.
- Great.
[phone ringing]
- Oh, oh, boy.
- Tanner Wilson is calling,
and the only way
that Tanner Wilson would call
is if Tanner Wilson
is Taylor and the catfish.
Hello?
- Hello?
- Oh!
- Tanner Wilson is calling
and the only way
that Tanner Wilson would call
is if Tanner Wilson
is Taylor and the catfish.
Hello?
- Hello?
- Hi, who'’s this?
- Hey, Tanner, how did you
get our number?
- Your cousin Taylor
gave you our number.
Cool.
- Okay, okay, that'’s--
I think that she might be
expecting that,
and she might be
more understanding about that
than you think.
- Look, Mecca knows
that something is up, and,
after years of sending her
pictures of the people
that are not necessarily you,
you owe it to her
to tell her the truth in person.
- Sure, you have our number,
let us know what you think.
- Thanks, Tanner.
- All right.
Tanner'’s a girl.
- Uh, I think Tanner is trans.
I think Tanner is Taylor,
and then identifies as Tanner.
And that'’s why Tanner is such
a similar name to Taylor.
- To Taylor.
- I call somebody,
I have a girl'’s voice,
and I say that I'’m a he.
- You could be right.
- I think we just have to
go over and prepare Mecca
for the possibility that this
is a girl or that this
is a trans person
and see what she says.
- All right.
[phone ringing]
- Hey, Mecca, it'’s iO and Max.
We'’re wondering if you
wanted to meet up.
- Okay, bye.
- Bye.
- I know that you'’ve been doing
this for six seasons,
but, for me, being inside
of "Catfish" for the first time,
it just breaks my heart
that people have to resort
to creating multiple identities
for themselves
because they'’ve been told
who they really are
is not enough
and that sucks.
- Yeah, oh, there'’s truck!
- Oh, there'’s the truck!
- There it is.
Get the--film that!
- God!
- When things happen,
you gotta film it.
All right, let'’s get some food.
Look at this Hot Mess
in front of us.
- Ay-o!
- Mecca and family.
- How you doing?
- Wow.
Your hair matches the truck!
- Hi!
- Right, I'’m that girl.
- You are that girl.
- Oh, yeah, you'’re that girl.
- Hi, I'’m Max.
- How you doing?
Max, Heather.
- Hey, Heather,
nice to meet you.
- Hey, iO, nice to meet you.
- iO.
- Hey, Damion.
- Hey, Damion.
- Um, can we eat?
- Yeah, get in there.
- Okay, here'’s some Mexi.
- Yeah!
- What are we working with here?
- That'’s the Mexi Tots.
- How is it, Max?
- Wow, that is good.
So we did some investigation.
We found some things.
- Okay.
- Mom, if you want to join...
- 100%.
- Dad, someone has to...
- Clean the truck.
- Hold down the fort.
- Right?
- Let'’s do it.
- So, Heather, what do you know?
- Well, five years ago,
she was 13 years old.
I felt like to have
a boyfriend so far away,
that it was less of a threat,
you know?
Like, he lives in Texas, or,
you know, like, it'’ll be good.
But I felt honestly like
this person has lied
about so many things.
- I'’ve trusted him,
and he could be just like
catfishing other people
using my profile.
That is way bigger to me,
honestly, that you used me
to do this to other people.
- It'’s one thing to kind of
be lied to, and then
it'’s another thing to be used.
- Yeah.
- Honestly, I just want her
to get her answers.
This is my job, right here.
- So come over here.
We did a bunch of research.
The first thing we did
was we searched pictures.
- Okay.
- And we found nothing,
which doesn'’t mean anything.
We know that Ryan
is not the person
you'’ve been talking to.
- Yeah.
- Now the question is,
is Tanner Tanner?
- Yeah.
- So then, we looked
into Taylor [bleep].
We went down her timeline.
We saw this from two days ago.
"Hey, just got a call.
I need you to replace
a shift at work."
But this person,
Lakeisha, seems to know her.
We spoke to Lakeisha.
She said she works with Taylor.
- Okay.
- In Brownwood, Texas.
So Taylor'’s a real girl.
Taylor talks a lot
about her cousins.
- Who are boys.
- Okay.
- But, we decided
to message Taylor, just thought,
"Oh, well, maybe Taylor
will reach out to us."
The phone rang, it was Tanner.
- We spoke to Tanner,
and we heard his voice.
It sounded unisex,
but we don'’t know at this point.
- We tried to encourage Tanner
to meet up with you,
and he said that he was scared.
So I asked him why, and he said,
"Well, because the person
in the pictures is not me."
- ♪ We'’re starting over ♪
- "But I am Tanner," he said.
- I really hope that there
is a Tanner
that I'’ve been talking to.
- As in, there'’s a guy
that you'’ve been talking to
or that there'’s
a guy named Tanner, person?
- A guy named Tanner
that I'’ve been talking to.
- ♪ Do you love me?
- '’Cause if I can'’t get this,
then I can'’t talk to him
because it hurts me even more.
- ♪ Because you'’ll never know ♪
♪ You'’ll never know,
oh, what you really mean ♪
- She needs her answers.
She deserves it.
This person has a lot
of explaining to do.
- ♪ '’Cause who you love'’s me ♪
- All right, I think
there'’s a possibility
that Tanner is Taylor
and was born a girl
but is transgender
and has to live as Taylor.
Another possibility is that
Tanner is a complete fabrication
and Taylor is a lesbian
and is scared to tell you that.
- Or Tanner is Taylor'’s cousin
and is insecure
because of how he looks.
We don'’t know at this point,
but we at least have narrowed
our search down
to Brownwood, Texas.
We know where Taylor works.
We know the address
that the phone number
is connected to.
- We could go to Brownwood
and show up at this place.
- We could probably figure out
who this person is.
- I just--I feel like I really
need to meet this person.
I need to see who the person is
and get the answers that I need.
- Pack a bag, and tomorrow
we leave for Dallas.
- Can she go with?
- Do you wanna come?
- Most definitely, I wanna
be there for my daughter.
- Mom wants to come.
- Sean, do we have room?
- Great.
You ready?
I'’m ready.
- All right.
Let'’s do it.
- We'’re gonna get you
some answers.
[phone pings]
- Oh, okay, so I just got
a text from Tanner.
I'’m gonna write back.
Okay.
[phone pings]
Oh.
Got something, what'’d they say?
"Okay."
They said, "Okay."
All right, so I'’m gonna
go downstairs so we can
have this phone call.
All right, so heading
to the PO now.
That'’s the production office.
We always have
a production office
in every hotel we stay in.
That'’s where the crew
is gonna be.
That'’s where they are now.
Just joking around
and not working.
- Aww, man.
- Aww.
- Okay.
- Is he calling us,
or are we calling him?
- No, we'’re gonna call him.
I think I'’m more nervous
than he is.
- You have reached the
voicemail box of--
[phone ringing]
- Oh, wait, FaceTime?
- FaceTime?
- Get the camera!
- Oh, [bleep].
FaceTime, FaceTime, FaceTime,
FaceTime, FaceTime!
- You ready?
- Yes, oh, I'’m ready.
Oh, I'’m ready.
- Hello?
- Oh, wait, FaceTime?
- FaceTime?
- Get the camera!
- Oh, [bleep].
- This has never happened
on our show.
- You ready?
- FaceTime, yes,
oh, I'’m ready, oh, my God.
- Hello?
- Can you see us?
- We can only see
your nose and mouth.
- Can we see your face?
- Look, we'’ve gone over certain
possibilities with Mecca.
We'’ve talked about
the strong possibility
that you'’re a girl
or that you could even be--
- Okay, well,
that conversation'’s over.
- Look, Mecca'’s
ready for anything.
She'’s ready for you to be a boy,
a girl, Donald Trump, whoever,
as long as it is the truth.
- Right on, Tanner.
- I think that'’s probably
the best way to look at this,
and the way that you'’ll be able
to actually face
the moment and do it.
Where should I tell her
we'’re going?
- Will you text us a place
to meet tomorrow afternoon?
- Well, Tanner, thank you
for doing this.
- Yeah, see you tomorrow.
- All right, bye.
- Bye.
- All right.
- Yeah, I'’ve never been--
- But I think this catfish
wants to get caught.
That person was female for sure.
- We don'’t know.
It could be someone
who'’s confused.
It could be someone--
Whatever it is, they are down
to meet Mecca tomorrow
in the suburbs of Dallas.
- Okay, good night, everyone.
See you in Dallas.
- Good night, guys.
- Ay!
- Hey.
- Good morning.
- We had a conversation
yesterday with Tanner.
He actually FaceTimed us.
He was wearing, like,
a black robe with a hood on.
- Like a gigantic, Sith Lord--
- "Star Wars" thing.
- Like this.
But we do know that there is a
human
on the other end of the phone
who is very scared to meet you.
I think it'’s worth
getting on a plane about.
- I wanna know who
the person in the robe is.
- So do we!
[laughter]
- I got a plane to catch.
Have you ever been
to Texas before?
- No.
- ♪ I chain smoke,
drink too much ♪
♪ Lose my luck playing
poker all night long ♪
- I'’m nervous.
- iO is not nervous.
- Not nervous.
- ♪ Are you too naive?
♪ Are you lying to yourself
♪ Just to believe?
♪ Stay up late,
caffeine buzz ♪
♪ We'’ve all got bad habits
we don'’t want ♪
♪ I must confess
- So I got some text messages.
So we got an address.
It'’s in Grapevine, Texas,
and he says, "I am home now."
- Okay.
- So we'’re gonna meet him
at his house.
- I trust you guys.
Take care of my daughter.
- We will.
- All right.
- You'’ve got this.
- Okay.
- You got this.
I love you.
- Love you too.
- Let'’s do it.
- [sighs]
- Yeah, do you have
any theories now,
with everything
that we know, Mecca?
- Like, it'’s just hard to tell
if it'’s a boy or a girl.
It'’s like, I don'’t know
who I'’m talking to.
Like, why they do it.
And wondering, like,
what went through their head,
like, when they lied to me
the second time.
Especially, like,
with my Facebook
that he used and stuff.
Was he trying to catfish people
with my Facebook?
- It'’s possible.
This is the street.
- Oh, my.
- Ready?
- Nervous, but I'’m ready.
[ominous music]
♪
- I'’ll do the knock.
- Okay.
- He'’s earned the knock.
He'’s been waiting five years
to do the knock.
It'’s gonna be okay.
♪
Come on, Tanner.
- Hey, Tanner, it'’s Max.
It'’s gonna be okay.
We'’ve got Mecca here.
She'’s--she'’s literally ready
for anything,
and she'’s pretty scared herself.
- Come on, Tanner, come on.
- You wanna just crack the door
open a little so we can talk?
- You wanna just crack the door
open a little so we can talk?
Why don'’t you come out?
I think you'’d be better off
if you just don'’t think about it
and just do it.
It'’s gonna be okay.
Come on.
[ominous music]
♪
Tanner?
- It'’s Taylor.
- Taylor.
- Why?
Why did--why did you do this?
- It'’s just hard
to explain, I guess.
I'’m sorry.
- How many other people
have you done this to?
- Only you.
- I'’d love to kind of hear
how this started for you.
- You know, at first,
I started talking to her
as Taylor, and then I asked her
the question,
"Are you interested in girls?"
She said, "No."
I didn'’t respect her decision
of what her sexuality was,
so that'’s when Ryan came up
in the picture.
- So you made up Ryan for Mecca?
- Yes, but I never meant
to hurt you.
That'’s not my intentions.
- Well, I found out something
very interesting,
that you added me to a group
for gays and lesbians
and you went on there
and acted like me.
Saying for people to hit you up
and everything, on my profile.
- I honestly
don'’t remember that.
It'’s been a very long time.
- You used Mecca to go onto
this group and post as her,
so I think all of us
are a little bit confused.
- You know, I'’m pretty sure
you do remember that,
but I honestly don'’t.
- Look, we'’re here now.
- Right.
- We came a very long way.
- Right.
- We wanna give you
the benefit of the doubt.
There are some things
that are hard to believe.
- Yeah, you told me that,
like, every week
or a couple weeks there was
a new death in the family.
Were those all true?
- No.
- And what about
all your friends
that have died and stuff?
- Yes.
- They kill themselves?
- Yeah.
- Is this not an easy place
to be gay?
- It'’s not.
It'’s really not.
It'’s just a town full of, like,
you know, churches.
It'’s just--it'’s hard
to live in a small town
where everybody knows everybody.
- Are you out to your family?
- I don'’t know
how to tell them, or, you know,
come out to them
or anything like that.
- '’Cause when this airs--
- It'’s now or never
to come clean to everybody.
And it'’s hard.
It'’s about Mecca.
It'’s for Mecca.
You mean so much to me
to the point where, you know,
I--well, I had to do this
in person and come out to you.
I understand what I did to you
hurt you.
I'’m sorry.
You know, I may not be
the real person,
but everything that I have
for you is completely true.
The feelings, the emotions,
everything is true.
And I still love you.
- ♪ For all you know,
we'’re broken pieces ♪
- I just need some air.
I'’m just gonna back away
for a second.
- Do you wanna sit in the car?
- Please.
- ♪ Hold on, I got a feeling
like this is almost over ♪
- What do you hope is gonna
come from your relationship
with Mecca now?
- What I want to gain is,
you know, trust from her again.
And I understand that'’s
gonna take a very long time,
and she means so much to me,
so I don'’t want her
out of my life.
I never meant to hurt her
the way I did.
- Well, look, let'’s regroup
tomorrow and see where we stand.
- Thank you.
- Thanks.
- ♪ I'’ve given everything,
I'’ve given everything ♪
♪ I'’ve given everything,
and it'’s over ♪
- How was that?
- I'’m just, like,
really hurt right now.
- I wish I could tell you
something that would
make you feel better right now.
- ♪ Hold on, I got a feeling
like this is almost over ♪
- Do you remember her asking you
if you were into girls?
- To be honest,
it was so long ago, I remember--
[phone ringing]
- Is that her?
Put it on speaker.
- Taylor, what'’s going on?
[phone ringing]
- Taylor?
- Anything else you got?
- All right, Taylor, well,
then we'’ll talk to you tomorrow.
- Bye.
- It'’s just not right.
To me, that'’s not love.
[melancholy music]
♪
[knocking]
- Hey.
- Hi.
- So what happened after
we said good-bye yesterday?
- I pretty much was, like,
thinking about it a lot,
and I did get emotional thinking
about when they lied
about their friends
committing suicide, like,
that'’s happened
actually in my life.
That'’s not something
you make up lies about.
- You'’re right.
Like, there is something
[bleep] up when someone'’s
looking you dead in the eye,
face to face and just kind of,
you know--
- Lie to me, definitely.
- Yeah, it'’s time for you
to get what you need.
[phone ringing]
- Hello?
- Hey, we were wondering
if you wanted to meet up.
- All right, sweet.
We'’ll see you there.
- Okay.
I wonder if she'’s gonna
let us see her hair today.
- Right, I have a feeling...
- Yeah.
- That she'’s gonna keep
a hoodie on.
- Okay, this is where
she told us to meet her.
You ready?
- I'’m ready.
[ominous music]
♪
- There'’s something about, like,
once you are a catfish,
everything about you is devious.
- I think this is her.
- Hey.
- How are y'’all?
- Hello.
- Hey.
- Thanks for coming out again,
and thanks for calling us
in the car yesterday.
- Yeah.
- I think Mecca--
she'’s got a lot of questions
and feelings.
- The one thing
that really bothered me
was the fact that you sat there
and pretty much lied to my face,
saying that your friends
had committed suicide.
That'’s actually happened
in my life.
- I'’m sorry, I just--
I was scared,
but most of everything
that I told you is true.
- Okay, but here'’s the thing,
right, you used Mecca
to go on to this group
and post as her.
- I know, there'’s no excuse
for me to do that, you know?
Like, I shouldn'’t have done that
and that was wrong of me.
I was scared that people were
gonna find out that I was gay,
and where I come from, it'’s--
people don'’t really accept that.
Going on Facebook, and then
just talking to other people
as Mecca was, like,
so much easier.
- But, like,
you portrayed me as gay.
- Yeah.
- And, like, that--
that'’s not right.
I would'’ve helped you
through some of that,
and I wish that you could'’ve
just been honest with me.
- It'’s just, you know,
being scared, you know,
like, "What will she do?
What will she say?
What will her expression be?"
You know?
'’Cause there'’s something in you,
it'’s like a spark.
There'’s something in you
that I can'’t get away from.
- There is going to be
somebody in your life
who is going to love you as you,
who is gay, who wants
to be with you in that way,
who'’s gonna make you feel
many of the things
that Mecca made you feel--
- I know.
- Because your job
is to take the risk
of being your authentic self
with people,
but you'’ve gotta let them decide
if they wanna love you.
- We'’re gonna step away,
so get what you need.
- I'’m willing to work with it.
I'’m willing to work with you
to earn your trust back.
You know, I'’ve had many people
come and go throughout my life,
but one thing
that I would hate to see
is for you to come and go.
I would love for you
to come and stay.
- But, like, obviously, you know
that, like, I'’m straight.
I don'’t like girls,
but I would like
something positive out of this.
- I just don'’t want us
to, like, lose contact.
- Hey, we decided that
we'’re gonna take some time
for ourselves
and maybe reconnect
sometime in the future.
- All right, thank you for--
- Thank you.
- Coming out and being honest.
- I'’m gonna go.
[gentle piano]
- ♪ We could stop this now
before it starts ♪
♪ Can we just stay here
♪ Stay here?
- How do you feel?
- I feel like I can breathe now.
I feel like all this is just
a weight off my shoulders.
- ♪ Don'’t wanna get left out in
the cold again ♪
- Now I feel like I'’m ready to
just focus on myself, honestly.
- Stay single for a while.
- Yeah, for a long while.
- ♪ I want you to want me
[phone ringing]
- Mecca!
- Yay!
- Hey, um--
- What'’s going on
with you and Taylor?
Have you guys talked?
- Oh, just cut right to it, iO.
- Sorry!
I mean...
- All right, what'’s the deal?
- We haven'’t contacted
each other since.
- You guys haven'’t
spoken at all?
- No, I haven'’t heard
anything from her.
- Do you miss the relationship?
- At times, I do.
I hope sooner or later
we can be friends,
but maybe she just needs time
so she can figure out
what'’s going on in her life.
I'’m hoping everything
works out for both of us.
- All right.
- You'’re such a sweetheart,
Mecca.
- I try.
- All right, Mecca.
Good luck with everything.
- Thank you.
- Bye, Mecca.
- Bye.
- Bye.
949
00:40:41.