Have you ever watched MTV’s Catfish: The TV Show and pondered the very name of the phenomenon it explores? It’s a question that might pop into your head as you witness the often complex and deceptive world of online identities. One viewer, while watching the show, turned to their boyfriend and asked, “Okay, I get that being catfished means someone is pretending to be someone else online, but why ‘catfishing’?”
It’s a valid question. Catfish, the actual fish, aren’t particularly known for being deceitful creatures. So where does this term come from in the context of online deception?
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To understand the origin, we need to dive into the documentary that inadvertently coined the phrase and inspired the hit TV series: Catfish.
The “Catfish” Documentary and its Accidental Legacy
Nev Schulman, the host of the Catfish TV show, was himself the subject of the 2010 documentary Catfish. This film chronicled his online relationship with a woman he believed to be named “Megan.” However, in a dramatic turn of events, Nev discovered that “Megan” was actually Angela, a middle-aged woman who had fabricated an entire online persona. Angela’s elaborate deception included creating numerous fake Facebook profiles to bolster the illusion of “Megan’s” existence and social circle. It was a deep dive into fabrication and online identity.
Even for those who watched the documentary when it was released, the specific origin of the term “catfish” might be a bit hazy. It’s easy to get caught up in the shocking narrative of Angela’s elaborate scheme and miss the metaphorical explanation behind the name.
The Fishy Metaphor: Where “Catfish” Gets its Name
The term “catfish” as it relates to online deception comes directly from a metaphor shared in the Catfish documentary by Angela’s husband, Vince. As Yahoo! Entertainment explains, Vince recounted an anecdote about live cod being shipped from Alaska to China. To ensure the cod remained active and of good quality during the long journey, catfish were placed in the vats with them. The catfish, by their nature, kept the cod moving and alert.
Vince likened Angela to these catfish. In his view, Angela stirred things up and made life more interesting for those around her. Therefore, in the context of Nev’s experience, Angela was his “catfish,” injecting a surprising and ultimately transformative element into his life through her online deception.
Interestingly, the Boston Globe points out that this “history lesson” provided by Vince about cod and catfish is likely a myth itself, possibly originating from early 20th-century fiction writers. So, the term “catfishing,” used to describe online falsehoods, is rooted in an anecdote that is itself potentially fabricated.
From Documentary to Pop Culture Phenomenon
The irony isn’t lost: a term for online lying originates from a possibly fictional story. Despite its potentially mythical origins, the “catfish” metaphor resonated and stuck. Nev Schulman, far from being defeated by his experience, turned it into a cultural phenomenon. Catfish: The TV Show, now in its many seasons, continues to explore similar stories of online deception, bringing these complex situations to a wide audience.
While Angela’s story in the documentary was initially shocking, the countless episodes of Catfish: The TV Show have presented even more unbelievable tales of online personas and hidden truths. The term “catfishing” has become firmly entrenched in our vocabulary, perfectly capturing the essence of online pretense and the surprising realities that can lie beneath the surface of digital interactions.
