Article: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/17/arts/television/mtv-catfish-schulman.html
Videos:
Part 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTlOww0NTVI
Part 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWsnv-vLJh0&t=498s
Overview: On May 12, 2018 a former guest on the show Catfish, Ayissha Morgan, uploaded a video on to Youtube accusing the lead host, Nev Schulman for sexual misconduct that happened 3 years ago. In her video, she discusses that from the beginning she felt very uncomfortable around the host. She was on the show to determine whether or not this female she had been talking to for a while was catfishing her. From there, she stated that Nev would constantly question her sexuality and imply that she should get with a man to determine if she’s really a lesbian. During the taping of the show, she said that his actions and misconduct were increasing and that he wouldn’t lay off on his inappropriate comments. Morgan said that Nev would hit on her repeatedly for hours and that he even invited her into his hotel room where he asked her to “reenact what she would do with a woman with him”. She also accused him of writing a note asking “do you like me?”, commenting on her Instagram posts with heart eye emojis, DMing her inappropriately, and so forth.
Opinion: However, based on both of the Youtube videos and her accusations, my initial reaction was that I felt as if this was all for attention. Yet, I am still on the fence because I do believe in “innocent until proven guilty”. I am basing all of my opinions on the facts that Morgan has laid out in her Youtube video. What first made me feel this way was the fact that at the end of her first video she had an end clip that said “500 likes for part 2”. In the beginning of her video she said that she was merely making this video to spread awareness and not for profit, however, in my opinion a person who truly wanted to spread awareness would just upload the second half without asking for “500 likes” for the video to receive attention. The way she described everything and her body language made it very hard to believe. The editing was very weird, for the lack of better words, and she kept looking off camera but she claims it was at her mirror. Even with all of her accusations she has no physical evidence against the host. She claims he sent her DMs, commented on her Instagram posts and that she took screenshots but then her phone had broke so now she doesn’t have the evidence of the claims.
Now given all those facts, after the constant harassment and the overwhelming feeling of being uncomfortable alone around him, why would she follow him back into his room alone? Every time I have felt harassed by a person of the opposite sex or felt uncomfortable, I made every effort to avoid that person and made sure I was never in a situation where I would knowingly be alone with that person. In her second video she also claims that one of the female producers had sexually assaulted her as well.
Most people bring up the fact that if it truly happened, why did she wait 3 years to talk about it. People grieve in their own way and they choose to deal with things on their own terms. Even if that means speaking up about it 3 years later. I don’t see time being a factor in why her story seems loose or why it may be hard to believe. It was the way she went about it and the ending clip of asking for likes if the audience wanted to hear the rest of the story.
In our class we recently discussed “intersectionality” and while I was watching the video, it reminded me of the question that was brought up: Does social media give more exposure to the problem, as well as pull many more victims out of the woodwork. Even though it has only been 8 days, no other victims have come out of the woodwork claiming sexual misconduct against Nev Schulman.
Until Ayissha Morgan has physical evidence against her claims, I do not 100% believe her accusations. However, I also don’t 100% believe Nev Schulman to be completely innocent as well. Innocent until proven guilty.
What are your thoughts about this and how do you feel about this situation? Do you believe Ayissha Morgan’s claims? Or are you also on the fence about it as well?