Much as with my porn viewing, I have limited and specific taste in what I enjoy watching on TV. I subscribed to Netflix during the pandemic when everyone was watching and I kept hearing about what a magnificent service it was to occupy our hours during lockdown. But as with my HBO and Showtime subscriptions, I find that there is little that interests me.
I enjoy documentary series more than the scripted dramas and comedies and last night I watched Part 1 of a two part series called, “Untold: The Girlfriend Who Didn’t Exist”. It is the story of the Hawaii native Manti Te’o who was one of the the top college football players at Notre Dame and the catfishing hoax from ten years ago about a now transgendered woman who made him believe he was having an online relationship with a beautiful Hawaiian woman. And the media picked up on the story of how his “girlfriend” died of cancer on the same day his real grandmother died. And when the truth came out it emotionally wrecked Te’o’s life as well as may have lead to him being a bust in the NFL, with the embarrassment following him.
Here is the Netflix trailer of the series.
I personally know several gay guys who met their “boyfriends” online and carried out relationships with them having never met them in person. They were usually younger guys who “fell in love” with older guys who often gave them financial assistance. It is a fascinating and sad reality of life online. But this documentary is very interesting. I still have to watch Part 2 which may wait until next weekend for me, as I am working extra days this week with Yankee games to watch when I get home from work.