Slate Daily Feed ICYMI | RIP to MTV's Catfish: Caught, But Never Forgotten
Oct 1, 2025
The hosts reflect on the cancellation of MTV's Catfish, reminiscing about personal catfishing stories and its evolution from a documentary to a hit show. They discuss how the series taught critical investigative tools and analyze whether heightened digital literacy has diminished traditional catfishing. The conversation shifts to modern threats like AI voice cloning and the vulnerability of older adults to scams. With a mix of nostalgia and insight, they explore the ethical ramifications of catfishing and celebrate memorable moments from the series.
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Teen AIM Prank Gone Nowhere
- Kate admits she catfished boys once on AIM as a teen using a fake account named "Foxy Girl Uh-huh."
- The stunt failed because the targets recognized the ruse and did not fall for it.
MileyWorld Catfish
- Candice was catfished on MileyWorld.com by someone claiming to be Miley's friend who promised her "Fan of the Day" status.
- The person never exchanged traceable contact info and Candice never found out if the promise was real.
How Catfish Became A Cultural Term
- The original Catfish documentary revealed elaborate online persona-building and popularized the term "catfish."
- Nev Schulman's experience led to an MTV series that helped others uncover similar deceptions.