Down the Rabbit Hole – Angela Wesselman-Pierce and Mark Zuckerberg

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Two new movies about Facebook are coming out, or have come out, right about now. One is Catfish, and the other is The Social Network. The latter is, I think, probably going to be turn out to be 2010′s one true masterpiece to rule them all. Not sure. Inception is right up there too. And there are other great films 2010 has produced, like Blue Valentine, Another Year, Inside Job, etc.

But Social Network and Catfish involve real people. Catfish is a big pill to swallow that these filmmaker dudes actually had some faux online relationship with this woman pretending to be three different people. Well, the weird thing is that if you search for the woman’s name, Angela Wesselman-Pierce you will find a great many websites out there but most, if not all, have been removed. She has been scrubbed almost completely from the net. This is very bizarre. I don’t know how she managed to erase her paper trail but she did.

The even weirder thing is that her name will pop up as a cast member for the film Catfish. She supposedly was cooperating with them (money involved?) but has since pulled her name and is suing them. I don’t even have all of the facts. All I was trying to do was a little internet stalking.

I don’t really believe these dudes didn’t know what they were walking into. It all seems very staged to me.

And a Zuckerberg stalking DOES turn up interesting info. Like William Randolph Hearst, the Zuck in The Social Network is not the real dude. But it’s still fascinating to internet stalk him for buried info. WAY TOO FUN.

Angela Pierce or Wesselman-pierce has all sorts of weird blogs she started and they’re by invite only, like http://www.incrediblyordinary.com/

Here is her flickr photo stream –

http://www.flickr.com/photos/40483951@N02/

And her painterly website:

http://www.artbyapierce.com/

It says this on her painterly website:

About Me
I’m a Mom.
I like to paint, take photos and write.
I like Blue Cheese salad dressing.
I thank God for giving me the talents I have and for giving me the strength to overcome the challenges in my life.
I hope you enjoy viewing my work as much as I enjoyed creating it.




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38 thoughts on “Down the Rabbit Hole – Angela Wesselman-Pierce and Mark Zuckerberg”

  2. Im trying to find this Angela Pierce or Wesselman. It’s obvious that there is no Angela Pierce or Wesselman. Contacted the local and federal prosecutors office and they don’t have any information on this woman who committed a crime. Which would be most likely since no one was aware of their idenities being stolen and used for profit until now. These guys who made this” Catfish” have a deal with her. Acting as journalist they will not reveal her real name (or as I say it “their source”). I have not yet seen the movie (documentary) to make any remarks about it except my daughter who was under age in some of the photographs shown on 20/20 is in “Catfish”. I’d like to see The Social Network. Are there unaware people shown in this film ?

  5. I’ve recently seen Catfish and undertaken a lot of research since then trying to get to the bottom of this whole thing. Don’t know why I’m so fascinated. It seems to me that Angela is real, one can certainly find 421 n main street on the google map (the house) although it comes up as 479 n main street, Ishpeming. It’s the same google shot as shown in the film and the same house as shown in the film. I also found the obiturary for Ronald (Vince’s son) who passed in 2008. Vince P Pierce is listed in the phone directory at 421 n main street, Ishpeming. The Mining Journal have confirmed that Angela does exist as has the Carnegie Library. Vince’s relatives (many by the sir name of Watts) can all be located with phone listings. No matter what you think of Angela and what she did, surely we can agree that her art work has a great style about it. I noted in her blog that she claims to have released (had published) a book, but I can’t seem to find it on Amazon etc. Any further information would be greatly appreciated. I still wonder who is the child with Abby when Nev goes with Angela to that house? Why doesn’t someone just go to the door and knock and see if Angela actually lives at that address. Gosh, if I lived in Ishpeming I would!

  6. just for fun… run a whois search on her websites… artbyapierce.com and her management group… which by the way, is herself..located at her own home… at 421 north main street. That website is Panoramamanagent.com Funnything about the sites…look at the dates…

  8. Just Someone- what do you mean by looking at the dates?

    Ms Curious- I agree- if she actually lived in Ishpeming, why haven’t we heard about reporters knocking down her door trying to get an interview? I’m doing the same thing you are- just saw the movie and think there’s something…just…not true here.

  9. Hi to Just Someone

    Thanks for the information. It seems you too have been doing a bit of searching. What do you mean by look at the dates? Why so cryptic?
    When I first had a look at Angela’s art websites I couldn’t find any originals for sale, now however there is one ‘Sleep’ for $1200 US. Wish I had a spare $1200 I’d snap it up in a flash. I’ve read all of her blogs, but can’t find anything very recent (as in from Jan onwards 2011).
    I’m still facinated by this whole thing. Surely someone out there has more information to offer to piece things together.

    What I find most peculiar or perhaps ironic is a better word choice is the fact that Angela reaches out to Nev out of lonliness per se, then after their meeting and the film is released she’s even more isolated than she ever was before. Only given two interviews, doesn’t reply to fan mail, etc. Meanwhile, Nev is constantly in the limelight, flitting around Australia (where I am) and constantly posting on his facebook and giving interviews. I just wonder what kind of deal Angela made with the film makers and how long she is supposed to remain ‘silent’ on her side of the story. Afterall, with some 248 hours of vision captured and the film only being say 90 minutes, I wonder how much was cut.

    Finally, has anyone got a clue as to the whole letters left in the mail box at Megan’s farm? I mean what does the ‘return for proper desposition’ mean? We don’t have those terms here in Australia. Isn’t it a bit odd that the letters appear to have been postmarked but then appear in the letterbox?

    Look forward to some replies.

  11. “Jerry Len February 3, 2011 at 4:57 am

    I went to google images street view and the house in the movie does not match anything I am seeing located at 421 N Main nor 479 N Main.”

    It is there, with the little girl in the yard too, just like in the movie. You have to click up the block toward the T of Euclid St. which is divided into West and East. The address is approximate on Goggle street view. Hope that helps.

  12. Just watched the movie tonight. I’m intrigued and unsatisfied. My wife’s grandfather is from this town in Michigan which I’m not going to attempt to spell right now. My mother in law remembers the old JC Penny building. I’d love to know more if anyone has any new information.

  13. Hi Johnny S and everyone else interested in Angela Wesselman Pierce. Here’s what I know so far. Firstly, the house is definately there on N Main Street, it comes up when you type in 479 n main street Ishpeming. The house is just up from the Ishpeming Carnegie library. I contacted Cindy Mak at the library via email and she confirmed that Angela Wesselman Pierce does indeed live in the house as shown in the movie and that she sees Angela from time to time wheeling her son down the street. Infact, the house across the road from her is for sale, its in W Euclid street, cool house with turret and only $120 000 US (seems cheap price to us here in Australia). I have located several blogs written by Angela where she talks about her life, sometimes openly and sometimes cryptically. Her art site shows 3 original works for sale, as well as lots of prints. She also does photography. There is an obituary for her son (Ronald who passed in 2008). The house the Pierces live in is owned by Vince Pierce and his mother. The JC Penny building ‘Abby’s gallery’ is still empty and scheduled to be torn down later this year. There is an article on the web about the Catfish story that Vince tells at the end of the film. Some of the words in the article appear to be almost exactly what Vince says in the film. I found that a bit odd (the article appeared in 2007). Many of the art works/photography are places actually in Ishpeming Michigan, example Angela has painted the Carnegie Libray just down the street from her house, and photographed a business called Iron Range. So far all the research I’ve done indicates that Angela is indeed a real person, residing in Ishpeming with Vince Pierce her husband and his disbabled son. I’ve also found a daughter ‘Kissa’ she is the sister of the two boys. Her name appears in the obituary (as do the names of many other family members of the Pierce side). I have to sit down with the film again and try to see if I can work out where the house they travel to see Abby for the first time is located, clearly not far and using landmarks and patience and the google map good chance I can find it. Angela was born in Illinois in 1968, it appears that she has given birth to two children, the illusive Megan (she claims in her blog that she gave birth to her when she was 20 and had to give her up due to alcohol issues), then Abigail much later on with Vince. I am very curious to find the history behind the name Wesselman, is it her maiden name, a former husband’s name etc? I plan to start searching birth, deaths, marriage records soon to see what else i can dig up. My brother is going to Wisconsin in March for a holiday, I’m trying to convince him to drive for two hours and head up to Ishpeming to knock on Angela’s door. Anyone with anymore information, please post. The film, the artwork, the people have become a bit of an obsession for me. Have a look at her artwork on her websites, it’s really quite beautiful, although it does seem much more elaborate and mature than the artwork that appears in the early part of the film. Look forward to hearing more from any other fascinated people out there.

  14. Its nice to know I’m not the only one who is also wants to know more about this. Her websites cay copyright 2007-2011 so when was the movie made in the early part of 2007 then or something?

  15. Hi sweetpea

    Not sure when movie made (as in early or late 2007). I think that the key thing here is that her websites may have been already in existence at the time the film was made which is odd, how come Nev didn’t do any searches for angela wesselman pierce and then come across these. On the other hand, if the sites were set up after the film then Angela got her act together pretty quickly.

    I wish there was someone out there who could shed some more light on this whole intriguing situation. Come on everybody, do some research and share. And so my obsession continues….:)

  16. Where r the people on this site? I post, wait days and sometimes no reply at all.
    Come on people, let’s get moving!

    We’re a bit slow in Australia (at times), …..but hey where’s the rest of the world?

    Be a CATFISH….!!!!!!! Not a COD!!!!!

    Reply…..! and hurry up :)

  17. Hi Ms. Curious,

    I didn’t think anyone shared the same enthusiasm as me. Nice to see that someone has been doing just as much research as I have on this family. I just think the whole situation and story is intriguing and feel for both Angela and Yaniv. I loved the movie, and had to watch it again after I knew the twist and then you pick up so much more. I live in Chicago and visit Michigan quite often, the UP is pretty far though but if I ever make it up that far it will be hard not to visit that town.

  18. Hi Catfish Fan

    So great to get a reply! Wow, so you actually live in Chicago and visit Michigan. How can you resist not going further up to the UP? Here I am in Australia, wishing I had the cash to get over to the states with the sole purpose of going to Ishpeming. Yes, I do suspect that my ‘enthusiasm’ has turned into an ‘obsession’. :) Do you have any new bits of information to share from your research? What were your thoughts on the part where Yaniv finds the postcards he’d sent to Megan in the mail box at Gladstone? I found it curious that they had a postmark saying, return for proper disposition. I am sure there is so much more that could be solved if everyone contributed their little bit of research or anything they picked up in the film. Look forward to hearing from you again. I’ve found out a few more things today, however I’ll save these for my next post. Hopefully, by then some more people have contributed towards solving the mystery behind ‘Catfish’.

  19. Since post cards don’t have a return address I think the post office had to return it back to the address that it was intended for even though there was no Megan there, because what else can they do? All they can do to get it out of their hands is return it to the location it was addressed to, since they can’t destroy it. I’m wondering why Angela’s husband told the story of the cod and catfish, what made him share that story? It’s just strange how it fell exactly in line with what the documentary was about.

  20. Hi Catfhish Fan
    I agree with you about the whole ‘catfish story’ Vince tells at the end. It does seem too perfect, infact, check out this link http://runrandall1955.blogspot.com/2007/06/story-of-catfish.html
    which is shown as appearing in June 2007. You will see the words that Vince says are almost verbatim for this little article. In this case, the blog is just about a guy who is a runner and he uses the cat fish / cod analogy to explain how he feels etc.

    Also yesterday, a news article appeared regarding ‘Megan’. Nev was interviewed and claimed that even after the whole thing was exposed, Angela continued to contact him (in the disguise this time as ‘Megan’ the daugther) staying at a rehab centre. Emails went between the two for some time, and then finallyh Nev contacted the facitly and they said ‘we don’t have email services here for our patients’ and of course the ‘gig was up’. Nev then confronted Angela, and Angela admitted that it was her again, just posing as another person. She apparently said that after the whole thing and the movie she had missed Nev so much she then decided to contact him via pretending to be ‘Megan’ (she posed as if she was the real Megan, (Angela’s daughter) stuck in some rehab farm and ‘having just heard about her mother’s mischief’. Ironically, Nev and Angela are still corresponding via email, though they haven’t seen each other since he went to the house in 2007.

    I think ‘something stinks’ about this whole movie, but I’m not sure quite what yet. I think that some parts are definately true, and some well perhaps just invented. It is of course difficult to tell which is which, when one has an Angela who appaers to have a compulsion for lying ‘fantasy’, combined with the fact that ‘movie industry’ is involved too. Look forward to anything else you have to share. >>>bye the bye, what has your research turned up?

  22. That’s strange that Angela kept calling Nev in Megan’s voice from the “rehab center” after she was found out because Nev gets Angela to come clean saying that she is the one that was talking to Nev the whole time as Megan. Why would he even play in to that. Is that a legitimate and respectable website that you found that information on? I believe that the entire documentary was real and true, but it leaves you wanting more explanation. I really think Angela was just lonely and needed an escape from her everyday life and longed for someone to care and compliment her. She had to be under imense stress caring for her 2 handicapped step sons and her husband seemed like he was good to her but maybe doesn’t have all his marbles.

    Angela went to great lengths to keep this world going, I can’t imagine how she must have felt each day living the lies she created.

    Oh, and I read somewhere and heard maybe on the Ellen show that she had actually sent Nev a check for $500 for one of Abby’s paintings that sold of one of Nev’s photos. That is crazy!!! And how did she hide the missing $500 from her husband? And he thought she was making money off of all the paintings she was sending him, so where did he think the money was going?

  23. Hi Catfish Fan
    I agree, the film does leave you wanting more explanation (perhaps that the whole marketing trick behind it)?

    Key things that would be great to resolve:

    1. Like you say, didn’t Vince notice the missing $ 500? Didn’t he wonder why, if as Angela claimed she was receiving money from Nev for her work that no money ever appeared in their account? Exactly how were these people supporting themselves anyway (I mean prior to the release of the film?). I can’t imagine they were that well off that they wouldn’t miss $ 500? No mention of whether Vince works.

    2. Vince makes such an insightful comment regarding catfish and cod, yet at the same time doesn’t (as you say) appear to have all his marbles. He does however, seem very kind (he warbles on about setting up her art space, buying a desk)..he does seem to genuinely care about her. It seems odd though that he doesn’t notice the symbolism in her paintings, a bird trapped in a cage, a woman back on with a suitcase in her hand walking away into the distance, a woman surrounded by a whole lot of green apple cores (or red apple cores) can’t remember which and the list goes on.

    3. The footage in the film shows an blissfully ignorant Vince, believing that Nev is the patron of his wife’s art / client. Obviously, he knew better by the end of the filming, (what were his thoughts then?) Lot of footage we’ll never get to see, (some 248 hours shot of rushes), film edited to 90 minutes or thereabouts.

    4. I take it Nev doesn’t bother to read Angela’s blogs (2010 onwards), (where it says she gave birth to her first child at 20 (presumably the illusive Megan), and had to give her up due to alcoholism). Had Nev read this then he might have figured out that the ‘real Megan’ allegedly corresponding with him via email from a re-hab farm (hadn’t been in Angela’s life for at least a decade or more). Where is the real ‘Megan’ (Angela’s daughter), is her name really Megan ? Isn’t it odd that a filmmaker doesn’t seem to do any real research? He didn’t do much in the beginning, (didn’t check the net for information on an A Pierce (Abby Pierce), art prizes, art sales that Angela claimed had occured.

    5. What made Angela choose the farm at Gladstone for the mailing address for ‘Megan’s farm’? It was empty, but how did Angela know this? Did she know the owners of the farm? Why didn’t she drive up to collect the mail if she knew the place was empty and gave Nev that address (she does have a car afterall).

    6. Who is the other child at the house when Nev and Angela go to get Abby? Presumably, due to this child being a minor parents would have had to give permission for the filming to occur, for the release etc. Does this child’s name appear in the credits? I haven’t looked as yet. Isn’t it a bit odd how Nev slips into the bathroom of this house (a house where he’s a guest) with a film crew in tow, to film his thoughts about Abby and Angela and Megan.

    7. What kind of contract did Angela end up signing with the filmmakers? Did she end up getting a good deal? Or did she end up being ‘taken advantage of’? I mean it does seem that she is suffering from some kind of disorder, so hopefully they didn’t take advantage of her. She’s only given 2 interviews so far that I can find (20/20 and a podcast radio interview with some alternative guy who runs his radio station out of his garage somewhere in MI). On the other hand, Angela is not stupid either (she did manage to keep multiple facebooks going, remember sequences, change voices, construct numerous altar lives). That would take quite a bit of intelligence and a whole lot of imagination.

    7. How did the local community react to Ishpeming literally being put on the map by Angela? Why aren’t any of her paintings hanging in the key places in town? What did her friends think of what she had done? Was there any fall out for Abby at school (once her mum’s condition, activities were revealed)? How did Abby feel about her mother’s misrepresentation of her as the artist?

    8. What is the significance of the name Wesselman? Is it her maiden name, or the name of her first husband (Megan’s father). She does mention she was married at the time of her first pregnancy (Megan) and not married at the time of her second (Abby). I remember in the movie she said she’d only been married a year to Vince (though with him some 9 years). What made her marry him after 9 years of living together and Angela was obviously quite unhappy, having to resort to the fantasy world she created?

    9. How has Angela’s artistic career gone since the movie? Her websites are very commercial and she claims not to be taking any new commissions.

    10. How is it that Vince ended up with the two boys? Their mother is still alive and there is a sister. Odd that the dad ended up taking the boys, onerous responsibility, admirable that he undertook it though.

    No matter what, I still admire Angela for taking on such a heavy load as two boys with their conditions. I also love her art, prefer to see her ‘fantasy’, ‘lies’ as extensions of a very creative imagination rather than any real attempt to dupe anyone.

    Anyway, I enjoying chatting with you Catfish Fan…love to see what else you dig up.

    10.

    9.

  24. I wanted to reply but I can’t get to all your points because I don’t have a lot of time right now, but I wanted to reply to at least some of your queries.

    2. I think Vince is a blue collar working man, I don’t think symbolism is something he is all too familiar with. He probably just thinks that she enormous talent, but it ends there.

    3. I wish they would have put more of the deleted scenes on the DVD, there is only an interview, but it would have been nice to see more.

    4. I truly believe that Nev did not give it a second thought that he was being played by Angela, he really believed that he was talking to this amazing family so there would be no reason to dig deep and research them. That would have all come after they realized what was actually going on.

    5. She probably just went to a realtor website and closed her eyes and picked a house to use as Megans address. And as far as her not driving to the house in Gladstone to pick up the mail, it is never mentioned in the film if Nev even told her he had mailed her anything, so maybe she didn’t know about the mail. I think if she knew she would have gone to pick it up just to have a piece of Nev.

    6. Not sure what the laws are when it comes to documentaries. They could be different, or maybe they did get the parents consent but they didn’t want her name to be in the credits. You know how some people get when it comes to getting 15 minutes of fame, the parents may have only cared about money or having their daughter in a movie not really thinking about what is being portrayed in the film.

    10. I came across the funeral homes website that took care of the services for Vince’s son, they had a guest book on there where people could leave notes. Vince’s ex wife said she is thankful for him and Angela for taking care of the boys since she couldn’t and called Angela an Angel, said she loved them both. So it sounds like they have a good relationship with each other. Maybe the mother just wasn’t emotionally prepared to handle the handicaps of the boys. Also noteworthy, on the same guest book, Nev left a note saying the family is in his thoughts and prayers.

  25. It said that the first clip was from april of 08. they said that the whole thing started late of 07 and continued until about 09. so he didnt go to her house in 07 it was at least the end of 08

  26. Hi Catfish Fan & Love this Movie

    Mmmm….love this Movie, you say they didn’t go to her house in 07. Not until 08. Isn’t it a bit odd that Angela had her company Panorama going since 07? On one hand, I know she’s savvy, (so no doubt she could get a company going and websites going), but on the other..well it just seems a bit coincidental that this ‘seemingly, bored housewife, (she did say in one interview that she started the whole thing with Nev because she had nothing better to do), no doubt overwhelmed with her life, manages to set up companies), and then sets out and orcehstrates an elaborate deception. I still think we’re missing a piece here, though I’m not sure what it is. Don’t get me wrong though, I think the world of Angela, devotion like she has to the two handicapped boys over years is (well….saintworthy!). As Catfish Fan points out, even VInce’s ex wife ‘thanks Angela’. Plus, from my perspective…she is truly a wonderful artist.

    I agree, symbolism probably isn’t in Vince’s world, so perhaps then it is no wonder that he missed clues such as ‘a bird trapped in a cage’ ‘ a bird being released’, ‘suitcases packed’ and ‘a head exloding in flowers’ etc. I should so love to know when Angela painted the ‘apple core picture’, it seems to me with all those red apple cores on the floor that ‘EVE (Angela)’ just couldn’t resist ‘the temptation’, (wonder if the paniting relates to Nev/the deception/the irrestistable tempation to contine being what one might have been and will now never be?)

    As I said previously Catfish Fan, can’t believe you live so close and can resist finding time, funds etc to journey to UP and look at Ishpeming and see if Angela is really there. Oh…..to be you….just for enough time to journey that way.

    I am just emabarking on the births, deaths and marriages search to see exactly when and if Angela ever did marry Vince, who Angela was previously married to, etc. I’ll let you know what I find. So far searches keep pointing to another name of Macminon, though I’m not sure how that fits in yet.

    Oh, I noted in the pod cast interview (radio interview from the guy in the garage) that Angela mentions looking our her studio window and seeing a windmill and Ridge Street, (Ridge street looks like it’s a bit of a way off for her to see), but I could be wrong.

    Look forward to hearing from you both soon.
    PS Other people who’ve posted here, come on…find some good information and SHARE. : )

    Catfish Fan, you’re probably right about Megan’s farm (Angela just going to a website to find a property for sale and voila…Megan’s farm).

    I did manage to find

  27. Did anyone actually read any of the epilogues during the credits? It explains alot what happened after their visit at her house. Where is this made up story about “the real Megan” coming from? Angela’s daughter Abby already mentioned she has a half sister who she hasn’t seen for a long time and the movie concludes that Megan isn’t to be found anywhere!!!

  28. Hi Riopato

    Yes I did read the credits. It does explain some of what happened after their visit to the house, but certainly not everything.

    What do you mean where is this made up story about ‘the real Megan’ coming from? Is anyone doubting that Angela has another daughter? I don’t think so. If you look at Angela’s blogs (refer under Incredibly Ordinary Angela Wesselman) you will see an entry where Angela talks about giving up the child she had at 20 due to being mentally unstable and an alcoholic. So I agree, there is a child out there somewhere. Whether her name is Megan or not is debateable. Angela made up the name of her son, (Alex) he doesn’t exist, and she chose not to even mention the two step sons that she does have. Sure, Megan isn’t to be found anywhere, Abby says ‘I don’t even remember what she looks like’ so it must have been some time since she’s seen her, that is if she’s seen her at all. Perhaps she’s heard of her via Angela, but never met her. Keep in mind, Angela’s blog states she birth at 20 to a girl who she subsequently gave up. I can tell you the following:

    Angela is a real person, she does live at 421 n main street in Ishpeming with her husband Vince, her mother in law, Abby and the surviving twin. There is a lot more information than appears on the credits at the end of the film. I’m currently on a site where there is a hot debate going on about the authenticity of the film amongst other things. Some of the contributors have done a lot of research and found out things that required extensive detective work. Let me put it this way, all is not as it seems…just because the epilogue in the credits make statements. Here’s the link if you’re interested.
    http://www.rowthree.com/2010/10/22/catfish-why-the-hoax-is-probably-fake/comment-page-2/#comment-54228

    Cheers

  29. I watched Catfish today for the first time, I was immediately intrigued, did a little research online, and then watched it again. Granted, I’ve only had a few hours to process this film, but I believe that a lot of it is fabricated for our viewing pleasure. Obviously, Angela (and her family) and Nev (along w/ Ariel & Henry) are real people. I do believe that Angela set out to dupe Nev; however, I believe he caught on much earlier than indicated in the film and than he indicated to her. It’s very likely that he googled her early on and figured out something was up and baited her along for the purposes of this documentary. If not, what was the purpose of filming in the very beginning before he had any suspicions? Also, he’s a savvy, shrewd, good looking, New Yorker who travels frequently…I highly doubt he’d play phone games for nearly 9 months and fall head over heels sight unseen. As far as Vince and his complicity or lack thereof, I do believe he was clueless. Many of you have asked how Angela was able to pull this off w/out his knowledge, but honestly I think it was probably quite simple. In many marriages one spouse handles the money and sometimes the other has no clue what’s coming in or out. Vince seems mildly mental retarded himself, so I’m sure as long as there was food, lights, and water, he didn’t ask any questions. Also, I’m sure the boys (and maybe Vince) received disability checks from the govt and if they weren’t married Angela could’ve even been paid by the govt as a caretaker of the boys. Finally, I do not think there is a “Megan” and it’s very questionable whether Angela has given birth to anyone other than Abby…maybe she’s had an abortion in the past or possibly given a child up for adoption, who knows…she could’ve simply created this character as well…neither her word nor poor Abby’s convinces me otherwise b/c obviously Abby has been mislead and taught to live a lie, she only repeats what her mother has told her. I am very curious about the beach house scene and who that child was…

  30. Hello JustSawCatfish
    I too am still not 100% convinced about there being a real Megan. I do so agree with you on the point where you say ‘Abby has been mislead and taught to live a lie, she only repeats what her mother has told her’. Did you see that I found a blog where Angela claims to have given up a child when she was 20 years old, her first child a daughter. Of course, we only have Angela’s word for this via her own blog, so again this doesn’t reallyconfirm anything.

    We have a pretty good chat going on http://www.rowthree.com/2010/10/22/catfish-why-the-hoax-is-probably-fake/

    One of the contributors has really done extensive reserach, you’d be amazed at what he has found out. He really goes quite in depth into the beach scene it that one is of particular interest to you. He’s located the exact address of the house used along with many other key points that cause one to question authenticity.

    Hope to chat more with you on the site address I’ve posted.
    PS: I have watched this film several times now, and each time I find something new that I missed in a previous viewing.

  31. There are many aspects of the film ‘Catfish’ that remain questionable, however for the most part in my opinion it all boils down to when the filmmakers actually knew there was a deception going on. Initially one tends to side with Nev, as in he was decieved. However, if they as filmmakers discovered the deception early in the piece and allowed it to continue then it really changes the way things are viewed.

    A considerable amount of research has led me to conclude that the filmmakers caught on at least well prior to the Vail scene (the song stealing discovery scene). The most telling aspects appear to be 1)when they discovered Abby’s gallery was still for sale, they should have and most likely did discover that Megan’s farm was also still for sale- the same realtor had both properties listed. 2) Rel was making a doco, but we the viewer are supposed to believe that in nearly an 8 month period he doesn’t underake even the slightest bit of research, not even in regard to his alleged primary subject ‘Abby’. It is my belief that they all (as in the filmmakers) knew much earlier and well prior to the way it is depicted to the viewer. 3) The chronological order (so out of whack) of the film suggests a deliberate attempt to skew things so the film has a ‘scary’ farm scene etc and the clues left along the way such as Megan being a vet at 19 aren’t easily detected by the audience though they should/would have been if the film was presented in real time. It is my opinion that upon finding deception at play the filmmakers ran with the whole thing to see just how far it would take them, imagining a great film would potentially come of such.

    It is easy to sit outside the ‘real’ situation as I and many others have done, and pick away at various aspects looking for the truth, crticising, specualting and concluding. There is no personal consequence for such and afterall, a private life was cast into the public forum by way of the film. However….

    Only two things remain very clear to me after all the time I’ve invested looking at and into this film.

    Firstly, the film is absolutely brilliant and worth watching.

    Secondly and perhaps more importantly, Angela is a real person, you may not agree with what she did, but it should be kept in mind there was no malice attached to her actions and no scam of financial gain attached to what she did. This sets her apart from the Janna St James’ of this world. Angela is a talented artist, her paintings and photography possess a beauty that surpasses all things written about her good, bad or indifferent.

    In my opinion her art work appears to have a voice of its own….it seems free from all contrivances, is always beautiful and will outlast everyting else. It speaks for itself, it speaks for her.

    Her latest work is heartbreaking…it’s beautiful. Here’s a link for anyone interested.
    http://www.inasenselost.com/

    Ms Curious

  33. she really does live in the upper penninsula on michigan.. i saw her house today and her husband and daughter outside.. my sister lives very close to her

  34. Hello everyone! i want to help u out. i currently live in upper michigan and after watching catfish one of my friends and i took a roadtrip to all the places in the movie. the horse farm is 10 mins from my home. it is a working farm and one of the girls i work with knows the owner, not someone named megan btw. we drove up to ishpeming and went past where the old jc penneys building was. it was torn down a month ago. with your help we found angelas house. we googled her and came across this blog and thanks to you who did the research. the house was quiet and looked the same as it did in the film. a lot of people were out and about but there was no activityat angelas. we did see her minivan, looked like the same from the film. and there was a girls pink bike outside in the grass. she seems alive and well and it seems the locals must leave her and her family alone.

  35. Hey Scottm! Firstly, Angela is NOT ‘just another weirdo in that town’ as you write. Angela is person who dreamt largely. Perhaps a little too largely at times, but she is an artist and artists have creative bents. Angela is going on from the film and doing brilliantly. Her artwork will surpass any momentary attention the film gains. Little disapointing that as a local dude you don’t step up and support the creative soul amidst you.

    Maybe you should read some recent articles and get a better insight into the person you so quickly and glibly dub as ‘weird’. Maybe you should have a look at her art. Step outside the position of film viewer and be a bit more of a humanitarian.

    Here’s a link to some articles written about Angela recently for anyone interested.

    https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150224151438758.338655.608923757&l=4d2e04a2cb

  36. Hi Jenny

    Sad to hear the old JC Penny building has been torn down! I know it sold for $ 12, 500 US dollars and was filled with mould from years of neglect. Still, it would have been great if someone had stepped in and transformed it to a real gallery for Angela’s work! Wish I’d had some spare cash! No doubt Angela is a real person, she absolutely is! Your road trip sounds fun.

    Please keep in mind that everyone makes mistakes. Angela made a few, but her talent continues and she never did a single thing with any malice. It would be very hard being Angela, living on with the legacy of ‘Catfish’ a continual reminder of some mistakes. I think as a woman and as an artist she’s done an amazing job rising from the ashes and moving forward!

  38. Sasha, I saw the video today and while I can understand your reaction, I cannot completely agree. If we are honest, all of us, we know that there is an Angela and a Nev inside each of us. I am “older” 63 in fact, so I will not use age as an excuse, I will simply share my thoughts as a fellow human being – age has nothing to do with anything. I choose to comment on what I saw and how I felt as the video progressed and leave it at that. Please keep in mind that those who receive our empathy or sympathy, as well as those who receive are harsh criticism are really not who we are seeing. We are seeing those parts of ourselves mirrored back to use – the part that hurts and the part we don’t accept or see in ourselves. I did not get the feeling these men were exploiting a situtation. It was little things that I heard, facial expressions however fleeting. I felt sadness for both Angela and Nev for different reasons. I don’t care if she did or didn’t sign a contract, I don’t care to speculate on motives or anything else. We all have a sad, hurting person inside of us that Angela represents – many hide it from themselves and others with busyness, work, and worse. As for Nev, there is a Nev inside us looking for someone or something and I believe there was sincerety in the beginning and had it been me that was duped, I too would have taken it to the end and try to find out why and who would do this. If nothing else, this video is a lesson to all of us, that we are human and every human emotion, behavior and motive lies within us, whether or not it is recognized. Jung spoke of the shadow – we all have it – we are all both Mother Theresa and Hitler within – simply because we are human and capable of both the sublime and the dispicable. Nev and the other two seem to have had compassion for this woman and her family. I see some character there. They could have been cruel, old and brutal. Instead he listened her tell her story respectfully and acceped her. Would you have been as gracious? I don’t know that I would have. Unless I learn otherwise, have respect for both sides – Angela for the courage to share her life and obvious pain and other issues and Nev for treating the situation with sensitivity and dignity.

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