The Profile

The 'Invisibilia' podcast episode titled 'The Profile' begins with a personal anecdote from one of the hosts about her father's collection of fake IDs, setting the stage for a story about identity and mystery. The narrative then shifts to Invisibilia producer Yohei Shaw, who embarks on a perplexing journey after her friend Bethany encounters a Hinge dating app profile that seemingly belongs to Yohei's long-term boyfriend, Kyle. Bethany recognizes Kyle from a brunch she attended at Yohei's house and is confused to see him on a dating app. The profile lists Kyle's profession and features a distinctive photo of him, which leads to speculation and concern about potential infidelity. Yohei, along with her friend Juliana, confronts Kyle, who is bewildered by the accusation and denies any involvement with the dating app. Despite his assurances, Yohei's trust wavers, and she even attempts to break into Kyle's email for evidence, a move that strains their relationship.

As Yohei grapples with the uncertainty, she explores the broader phenomenon of partners discovering each other on dating apps and the various outcomes of such encounters. She hears stories ranging from innocent explanations to relationships shattered by mistrust. With no conclusive evidence to assuage her doubts, Yohei, supported by Juliana, decides to take investigative action. They plan to catfish the catfisher by creating a profile to attract the impersonator and uncover the truth behind the fake Kyle profile.

After much effort, Yohei finally arranges a call with 'Will,' who claims to be the person behind the fake profile. Will explains he chose to impersonate Kyle because he seemed like a cool guy who would attract women on the app. Will insists his intentions were not malicious and that he was simply seeking conversation. However, in a surprising twist, Yohei reveals that the confrontation with Will was a performance, with an actor playing the role of the catfisher. The real truth is that Yohei never found the fake profile or the person behind it. The staged call was an experiment to illustrate the unsettling nature of not knowing what to believe and the comfort that can come from even a fabricated resolution.