WATCH OUT, MERI! Sister Wives’ Meri Brown warned by Catfish’s Nev Schulman to ‘keep her guard up’ while dating after past scandal
SISTER Wives’ Meri Brown has been warned by Catfish’s Nev Schulman in an exclusive interview with The U.S. Sun to ‘keep her guard up’ while dating.
The reality star confirmed her split from ex Kody Brown last month via a statement on social media.
Catfish expert and TV host Nev Schulman shared dating advice for Meri Brown
Meri was involved in a catfishing scandal in 2015, which became a big storyline on Sister Wives
Now that she’s spiritually separated from the family’s patriarch, fans believe she’s already started dating.
The host of MTV’s Catfish: The TV Show, Nev Schulman, who co-hosts with Kamie Crawford, has passed along some dating advice to Meri, 52, while promoting the show’s new season.
“I’m always all for meeting people in environments that will likely set you up to have something in common with that person – whether it’s a music show or whatever.
“I’ve seen a lot of the country and I know a lot of people live in smaller, isolated places where the opportunity to do that just doesn’t exist,” Nev, 38, told The U.S. Sun.
“And so I think the Internet’s a great place to meet people and, look, despite my many experiences with people getting lied to on the Internet, I still think it only represents a tiny fraction of all of the connections that have been made – many of which have ended well and have been positive.”
Meri has been spending time in Utah at her bed and breakfast, Lizzie’s Heritage Inn – which is located in the small town of Parowan, which has an estimated population of 3,100.
A CATFISH SCANDAL
Years before her public split, she had made it known that she had an online relationship and had been catfished.
She was having an “affair” with someone named Sam Cooper, who was actually a woman named Jackie Overton.
Her catfishing scandal happened in 2015 and it caused a major strain in her marriage to Kody, 54.
Nev, who is currently married to his wife of five years Laura Perlongo, hopes that Meri “keeps her guard up” if she is continuing online dating.
“I think Meri Brown should keep her guard up because if you’re vulnerable to getting catfished once, it probably could happen again,” Nev shared.
‘HARD TO RESIST’ LOVE
The Under Armour marathon runner also spoke to The U.S. Sun about how women who date in their 50s are “more vulnerable” to falling in love easily – whether it be with someone they met in person or online.
For one, Christine Brown, 50, has already found the “love of her life” with new boyfriend David Woolley, 59.
“I definitely think age plays a factor… Older people who are losing confidence or optimism when it comes to finding and being loved are equally, or if not more so, vulnerable to it [than younger people] because the idea that someone could kind of show up and out of nowhere, fall in love with you and tell you everything you ever wanted to hear, you know, it’s hard to resist,” Nev stated.
“It all really kind of boils down to your circumstances, your friend group, your support system, and just sort of your own emotional state and how insecure you are in yourself.”
BREAKUP FORESHADOWED
The father of three, although not completely up to date on Meri’s love life, did say that her past could have caused a “complicated’ relationship between her and Kody and eventually cause the breakup.
Nev told The U.S. Sun: “It tends to interfere with [someone’s] efforts to be in real relationships because… all they can think about is how they (Kody in this example) compare to this sort of other online romance that they’re having with the person that they think is perfect or some sort of version of perfection.
“So I definitely have seen a lot of overlap and conflict when it comes to people wanting to be in a relationship, but not willing to give up the sort of digital relationship that they have that predates any current relationship. It can get complicated for sure.”
Kody has made it clear in past episodes that his marriage to Meri “dissolved” after the catfishing scandal,
In a March 2021 episode, Robyn Brown’s husband said that Meri’s online relationship “turned out to be extremely exploitative and abusive. And from that experience, Meri and I sort of saw our marriage just dissolve.”
Meri told cameras: “We’ve never come back together from that.”
She opened up about how she felt more desired with ‘Sam’ than she did with Kody: “When I started talking to this ‘guy,’ you know, we’re becoming friends and we’re laughing, and he was saying all the right things to make me trust him and make me think that he was this real person that really cared.”
MERI’S CATFISHER TODAY
Although it’s not known if Meri still communicates with Sam/Jackie today, her catfisher did address Meri’s ‘divorce’ to Kody.
On December 15, 2022, Sam, who has the user name “@notbatmanyet,” tweeted: “Once upon a time we fell in love and we were happy together. We laughed until we didn’t.
“I know she will find a new guy and be happy. Leave her alone.”
TLC viewers will have to wait to see Meri’s dating life when the new season of Sister Wives – featuring Kody, Robyn, Meri, Christine and Janelle Brown – premieres.
Season 18 is currently filming and The U.S. Sun reported that Meri will only “be featured a little bit” and “hardly makes any appearances.”
In the meantime, for fans who want to hear more catfishing stories, the new season of Catfish: The TV Show premieres on February 28 at 8 p.m. ET on MTV.
Nev and Kamie are joined by guest hosts Dylan Sprayberry, Tallulah Willis, Shan Boodram and Laura Perlongo.
Nev Schulman and Kamie Crawford return to host MTV’s Catfish every Tuesday night starting February 28
Kody Brown and Meri confirmed their split in January 2023
Single Meri turned 52 earlier this year and cheered to ‘another year ahead full of wonder, wisdom, and worth
