022 - Unknown Number: The High School Catfish Watch Party

🎙️ Midnight Cheesecake's “Unknown Number: The High School Catfish” Watch Party

In this episode, we dive into the WILD RIDE that is the Netflix documentary Unknown Number: The High School Catfish, and wow—this one really shook us. It’s about a pair of small town teenagers who were cyber bulied for over a year and a half - and if you don't know who did it, stop listening and go watch it first. We (Ruha and Bekah) walk through the whole jaw-dropping story, and just try to wrap our heads around how something like this could even happen.

We kick things off by celebrating how many folks are tuning in lately (thank you, listeners!), and then we jump straight into the documentary. Spoiler alert: if you haven’t watched it yet, maybe hit pause and come back later. Or not, because this conversation is just as juicy.

So here’s the deal—this high school couple in a small Michigan town starts getting creepy texts. At first, it’s just weird stuff like “your boyfriend’s gonna leave you,” but it quickly turns into full-on threats and disturbing messages aimed at Lauren, the girl in the relationship. And the twist? The person behind it all is Lauren’s own mom, Kendra. We know. It’s bananas.

Was Kendra looking for attention? Did she want to play the hero by comforting her daughter after causing the pain herself? It’s like a twisted version of Munchausen by proxy, but online. We talk about how Kendra used her daughter’s deepest insecurities against her, and how messed up that is coming from someone who’s supposed to protect you.

We also get into how the town reacted, how the school and parents tried to figure out what was going on, and how social media and small-town gossip made everything even messier. Lauren’s friends and family were worried sick, and the texts were so disturbing that even the detective said they made him blush.

One of the hardest parts to watch? Lauren still wanted her mom back. Even after everything, she said she loved her more than anyone. That part really hurts. It’s heartbreaking and shows how complicated family bonds can be, especially when trust is broken.

We talk about the fallout, the finger-pointing, and how other kids got dragged into the drama unfairly. Khloe, the so-called “mean girl,” and her family got blamed at one point, and while they didn’t come off great in interviews, we get why they were upset. If someone accused our kid of something like this, we’d be furious too.

As we wrap up, we reflect on how important it is for parents to be kind and supportive—not just in public, but behind closed doors too. We hope this story reminds everyone to check in with their kids, keep communication open, and be the safe space they need.

We end the episode with gratitude for all the listeners and tease more juicy convos ahead. And of course, there’s some cozy recommendations and midnight snacks to round things out.

 

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Chapters

0:06  Welcome in.

2:08  Juicy Netflix Documentary Discussion.

5:27  Shocking Revelations Uncovered.

8:12  Exploring Psychological Aspects.

11:52  The Fallout and Accusations.

15:41  Delving into the Catfish Identity.

21:56  Investigation and Discovery Process.

25:51  Future Implications for Lauren.

27:51  Recommendations and Reflections.

33:24  Kindness and Personal Growth.