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Max Joseph Leaving MTV’s ‘Catfish’ After Seven Seasons

It’s officially the end of an era on one of MTV’s most popular series. Series co-host Max Joseph is leaving behind the world of tracking down Catfish to pursue his life-long dream of being a filmmaker.

Catfish: The TV Show is based on a 2010 documentary in which Nev Schulman and his brother Rel documented their journey in tracking down Nev’s online love interest. The two followed and investigated clues in order to uncover the true identity of the person which Nev had fallen in love with. The documentary was truly captivated, and after being released, Nev discovered there were thousands of others, like him, who felt they too were being Catfished online.

The series follows Joseph and Schulman as they track down the truth behind internet-based relationships. Catfish: The TV Show has been running for seven seasons and, according to Joseph’s statement, has accomplished 115 episodes and 31 specials during that time.

Both Joseph and Schulman released heartfelt and genuine statements via their social media accounts. Joseph spoke about straddling the line between two jobs and that workload finally taking its toll. He wrote:

[row]“Hey guys, the time has come, sadly, for me to move on from ‘Catfish’. Working on this show for the last seven years has been one of the most meaningful experiences of my life. I’ve learned a lot about myself, my country and human nature in general. Nev and I have become brothers and our bromance has blossomed before your eyes. For a while now I have been straddling two careers as TV host and filmmaker and, while this level of busy-ness is a dream come true, my life can no longer sustain it. With ‘Catfish’ still going strong after 7 seasons, 115 episodes, 31 specials and showing no sign of slowing down, I feel it is finally the time for me to make my exit. Although I have a heavy heart, I am also excited for everything that’s to come for myself, for Nev, for our crew and for the show. Thank you for watching, thank you for the love and for the memes.”[/row]

 

While Joseph’s statement was a goodbye to fans, Schulman’s post was a tribute to the time he’s spent with his friend and coworker. He also selflessly plugged his friend’s work and website, and like any good friend would do, reminded Joseph that he needs to call (or facetime) every once in a while. Schulman wrote:

[row]“Working with Max on ‘Catfish’ has been one of the most meaningful experiences of my life. What started as a casual friendship quickly turned into a brotherhood. Thanks to Max, over the last six years I’ve learned as much about the internet and society as I have about myself. Max isn’t just a co-host, he’s a partner. His ability to listen, empathize and advise is astounding. Nobody cuts through the noise and dishes the hard truth better than he does. I’m going to miss him a lot. He’s my best friend and one of the best colleagues anyone could hope for. As sad as I am though that Max is leaving the show, it brings me great joy to know that he is following his heart. While selfishly I’d love to keep him all to myself, I know that unleashing the creativity and passion that he has will benefit so many of us. If you don’t already know about Max’s amazing work as a filmmaker, check out his website maxjoseph.com. Good luck, my friend, and there’s really no excuse why you can’t video chat in from time to time ;)”[/row]


Joseph’s final episode will air on Wednesday, August 22 at 9 PM EST.

What do you think about Max Joseph leaving Catfish: The TV Show to pursue his dream job? Are you sad to see him go? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.