Strategic Communications and Marketing News Bureau

Star and host of popular MTV show to speak at the Illini Union

Nev Schulman, of MTV’s “Catfish: The TV Show,” will speak at the Illini Union I-Rooms at 7 p.m. Sept. 24 as part of the Illini Union Board Lecture Series.

In 2007, filmmakers Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost set out to make a film about an increasingly popular trend in society: online dating. Ariel’s brother, Nev, became the subject of the story as they depicted his personal life. Nev Schulman met a girl, Megan, online and she turned out to not be the person he thought her to be. The result of this journey was the film, “Catfish,” and it set off a media frenzy when it was released in 2010.

The film was then adapted into “Catfish: The TV Show,” debuting on MTV in November 2012. On the show, Nev Schulman introduces couples who have communicated and fell in love or into a relationship online, for the first time in person. The show’s fourth and most recent season premiered in February 2015.

“The Illini Union Board selected Nev Schulman to kick off the IUB Lecture Series this year because of his prominent place in pop culture and our current fascination with online dating,” said Jaylin McClinton, the Illini Union Board president.

Nev Schulman recently released his book, “Real Life: Love, Lies and Identity in the Digital Age,” which explores the issue of genuine connectivity and how to turn these instances into a successful relationship.

He also is a respected photographer and filmmaker, residing in New York City. His photography has appeared in Vogue, The New York Times and Dance Magazine.

This is a free lecture open to the public. More information about Nev Schulman’s career can be found at his website.

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