# Manti Te'o's Fake, Dead Girlfriend **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [January 16, 2013, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424 "2013-01-16T22:06:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/61 "2013-01-17T13:57:42Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > What fake girlfriend? She was real. > > [http://www.thebiglead.com/index.php/2013/01/16/lennay-kekua-manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend-was-real-says-arizona-cardinals-fullback-reagan-mauia-who-claims-to-have-met-her/](http://www.thebiglead.com/index.php/2013/01/16/lennay-kekua-manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend-was-real-says-arizona-cardinals-fullback-reagan-mauia-who-claims-to-have-met-her/) I dated his fake dead girlfriend before he even met her? ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/62 "2013-01-17T14:08:40Z")
You know, there were times in college when I would have been grateful for even an imaginary girlfriend. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/63 "2013-01-17T14:14:21Z")
> [@Enderw24](#): > > I got better! > > Well, until the industrial lift accident. Can’t escape that one. Oh noes. More catfish tears for you! ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/64 "2013-01-17T14:28:20Z")
Manti should be speaking today to clarify some points. This is certainly a bizarre story. Being a Notre Dame fan and having followed the team, and particularly Manti, pretty closely this past year, I would be shocked to learn that Manti was somehow in on this hoax. On the other hand, he does seem like a sheltered, and possibly even socially awkward, individual who could easily be duped by this kind of scheme. ND athletic director Jack Swarbrick said Manti was the perfect mark for this. At any rate, it looks like Lance Armstrong is off the hook as the biggest sports news story before his interview even aired. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/65 "2013-01-17T14:43:58Z")
Yeah my wife Morgan Fairchild, who I’ve slept with… ---
**Author:** ![Ennui](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ennui/32/3396_2.png) [@Ennui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ennui)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/66 "2013-01-17T14:48:55Z")
> [@Accidental\_Martyr](#): > > Eddie Lacy and T.J. Yeldon certainly ran through him like he wasn’t really there. 😉 But you have to understand, Manti wasn’t missing all those tackles in the title game, he was just trying to hug his girlfriend. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/67 "2013-01-17T15:04:33Z")
How soon is it OK to start dating again after your fake-girlfriend fake-dies? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/68 "2013-01-17T15:04:44Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > What fake girlfriend? She was real. > > [http://www.thebiglead.com/index.php/2013/01/16/lennay-kekua-manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend-was-real-says-arizona-cardinals-fullback-reagan-mauia-who-claims-to-have-met-her/](http://www.thebiglead.com/index.php/2013/01/16/lennay-kekua-manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend-was-real-says-arizona-cardinals-fullback-reagan-mauia-who-claims-to-have-met-her/) I’m guessing Mauia met Tei, the woman who later pretended to be Kekua’s sister. Did Tuiasosopo and Tei cook this up to con an athlete or was it a prank they wanted to sell to a TV show- or did the TV show thing only come up when this started to fall apart? The “dead girl” is also active again on Twitter and is promising to reveal some news or other at noon PST today. Who knows what the hell that revelation is supposed to be. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/69 "2013-01-17T15:07:54Z")
How is it even conceivable that he never Skyped with her? ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/70 "2013-01-17T15:24:13Z")
> [@R.P.McMurphy](#): > > It wouldn’t be the first time a Mormon made up a fantastic fairy tale and got others to believe it. That was my first thought too. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/71 "2013-01-17T15:25:42Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > Manti should be speaking today to clarify some points. This is certainly a bizarre story. Being a Notre Dame fan and having followed the team, and particularly Manti, pretty closely this past year, I would be shocked to learn that Manti was somehow in on this hoax. On the other hand, he does seem like a sheltered, and possibly even socially awkward, individual who could easily be duped by this kind of scheme. ND athletic director Jack Swarbrick said Manti was the perfect mark for this. > > At any rate, it looks like Lance Armstrong is off the hook as the biggest sports news story before his interview even aired. Well, he was involved to an extent in that he perpetuated the story that they had met several times. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/72 "2013-01-17T15:26:45Z")
I remember googling her shortly after learning of her death, and remember thinking how healthy and attractive she looked for someone about to die from cancer. There weren’t any shots of her looking even remotely sick. I assumed she acquired a particular form of cancer that resulted in a very rapid decline. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/73 "2013-01-17T15:54:50Z")
I’ve heard that Nev from the show Catfish is on the case. I’m on the edge of my seat. ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/74 "2013-01-17T16:05:47Z")
> [@Ennui](#): > > But you have to understand, Manti wasn’t missing all those tackles in the title game, he was just trying to hug his girlfriend. Ahh, well, that explains it! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/75 "2013-01-17T16:07:34Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > At any rate, it looks like Lance Armstrong is off the hook as the biggest sports news story before his interview even aired. Yeah, but Armstrong’s still by far the bigger douchebag. At least Manti hasn’t gone around trying to wreck the lives of those who’ve blown his story. (Yet.) ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/76 "2013-01-17T16:25:07Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > Well, he was involved to an extent in that he perpetuated the story that they had met several times. True, Manti may have exaggerated the details of what he thought was his relationship with his girlfriend, but I do not think he knew she didn’t exist. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Lowry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Sam\_Lowry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Lowry)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/77 "2013-01-17T16:38:04Z")
This story is so crazy. I’m putting my money on he knew she wasn’t real from the beginning, but it’s not impossible he was duped. > [@Accidental\_Martyr](#): > > What I understood from the interview with the reporter is that Te’o pretty much went along with it after he realized it was a hoax because he was embarassed about people finding out that he had never met his “girlfriend” and she wasn’t real. Sounds like his parents went along with it, too (if his story is legit.) That’s not too implausible to me. He was embarrassed his relationship wasn’t real, and went along with it afterwards, hoping it wouldn’t be found out that he was duped. He wouldn’t be thinking straight about how best to keep it covered, his mid would still be reeling with the crazy situation he was mixed up in. > [@Merneith](#): > > See - I would have said just the opposite, especially when the shy religious kid was being inundated with real girls all dying to have real sex with a soon-to-be NFL superstar. Just how exciting could this online thing be compared to what was camped right outside his locker room? Add in the fact the “online thing” was, in fact, his male best friend, and well, really. > > I could believe that it was something he and his friend cooked up for publicity, maybe. That seems as plausible as the gay angle. If he’s a sheltered religious kid, then I could see him preferring an online relationship to a real life one. The real life girls are exciting but also scary, and he’s afraid of being led into temptation. The online girl is beautiful and interesting, but is kept at a distance and is safer. I do think he was in on the hoax. Whether it was so he could cover up a gay relationship, or for publicity, or just for the lulz, it seems the most likely to me. But I also wouldn’t be shocked if he was legitimately fooled into thinking Lennay was real. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/78 "2013-01-17T16:38:56Z")
> [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](#): > > True, Manti may have exaggerated the details of what he thought was his relationship with his girlfriend, but I do not think he knew she didn’t exist. He’s one hell of an exaggerator, then. For instance, the stuff about his falling asleep talking to her, then waking up 8 hours later listening to the sound of her breathing over the phone? If he was being played, that’s putting a hell of a lot of really boring work into the play, and I frankly don’t believe it. It’s clear that even if he was being played, he made up a lot of shit like this. Occam’s razor says he was making up everything, not just half of it while the other half was a hoax perpetrated on him. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/79 "2013-01-17T16:44:13Z")
They were covering this in Chicago last night like the President got shot or something. I find it amusing and a little baffling that it’s getting so much attention. Here’s my take: Naive college kid meets a girl online and exaggerates the relationship to friends and family. He doesn’t realize the “girl” is just somebody screwing with him, and the hoaxer makes a game of seeing how far they can take it. Hoaxer eventually tires of the game and kills off the fake persona. I’ll bet this sort of thing happens more often than people realize. We didn’t have the internet when I was in college, but at that age I was such a putz when it came to girls that I could imagine getting suckered like that. Because it happened to a high-profile college athlete it’s suddenly a big news story. I’ll also bet that Te’o began catching on at some point but was too embarrassed to admit it to anybody. I know I probably would have been at that age too. ---
**Author:** ![April\_R](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@April\_R](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/April_R)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2013, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424/80 "2013-01-17T17:24:54Z")
This guy says she is real, has met her, and was close to her family. The plot thickens!! [http://aol.sportingnews.com/nfl/story/2013-01-16/manti-teo-girlfriend-hoax-lennay-kekua-reagan-mauia-notre-dame-catfish?icid=maing-grid7|main5|dl1|sec1\_lnk3%26pLid%3D258273](http://aol.sportingnews.com/nfl/story/2013-01-16/manti-teo-girlfriend-hoax-lennay-kekua-reagan-mauia-notre-dame-catfish?icid=maing-grid7%7Cmain5%7Cdl1%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D258273) > [@](#): > > Manti Te’o girlfriend hoax: Former NFL player says Lennay Kekua ‘real,’ met her in person > > Lennay Kekua, the supposed fake late girlfriend of Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o, “is real,” according to a former NFL player who said he met her in person twice in 2011. > > Reagan Mauia, who was cut by the Arizona Cardinals last October, told [ESPN.com](http://ESPN.com) on Wednesday that he was introduced in June of that year to a woman claiming to be Kekua. The meetings took place in American Samoa where Mauia, Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu and other Polynesian teammates were doing charity work. > > “This was before her and Manti,” Mauia said Wednesday evening. “I don’t think Manti was even in the picture, but she and I became good friends. We would talk off and on, just checking up on each other kind of thing. I am close to her family. When she was going through the loss of her father, I was—I offered a comforting shoulder and just someone to bounce her emotions off. That was just from meeting her in Samoa.” > > Mauia told ESPN that he was introduced to Kekua by Ronaiah Tuiasosopo, a close friend of Te’o’s. Mauia believes that Tuiasosopo was Kekua’s cousin. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/manti-teos-fake-dead-girlfriend/647424.md?page=5)