Why Did Max Joseph Leave Catfish? What He's Been Up To Since The Show

Max Joseph, the silver-haired and sharp-witted co-host of MTV's "Catfish: The TV Show," left the show in 2018 to pursue his true passion: filmmaking. After seven seasons of unraveling fraudulent relationships and confronting internet pranksters alongside co-host Nev Schulman, Joseph ultimately made the tough decision to walk away and focus on his career behind the camera. From directing a documentary film to producing a series of thought-provoking short-form videos, Joseph's life after "Catfish" has been anything but dull.

Joseph's love for filmmaking predates his time on "Catfish." He was writing, directing, and producing short films and documentaries long before the show's premiere in 2012. This makes his departure from the show a lot less surprising in the big picture — naturally, he'd eventually want to fully dedicate himself to his craft.

In an Instagram post around the middle of season seven, he explained that juggling both television and filmmaking had become too tough, and it was time to commit to his passion: "For a while now I have been straddling two careers as TV host and filmmaker and, while this level of busy-ness is a dream come true, my life can no longer sustain it. With 'Catfish' still going strong ... I feel it is finally the time for me to make my exit." Though fans were sad to see him go, it was clearly an important decision on his part. 

One of Max Joseph's notable projects since leaving "Catfish" was the 2021 HBO Max documentary "15 Minutes of Shame." Co-produced with Monica Lewinsky, the film explores the culture of public shaming in the digital age. It makes insightful critiques on how quickly people can become the targets of online outrage as part of a larger commentary on the impact of social media. The topic isn't far from the central concept of "Catfish," and with Lewinsky's experience with public backlash after her scandal with Bill Clinton, they made the perfect team to tackle the sensitive subject. 

"15 Minutes of Shame" is not the only documentary endeavor he's embarked on since leaving "Catfish." In 2019, Joseph directed "BOOKSTORES: How to Read More Books in the Golden Age of Content," a short documentary exploring the role of bookstores in our increasingly digital world. He also launched the docu-series "HAPPINESS" in 2024, examining the science and psychology of what truly makes people happy. His other short-form docs include "A Complete Guide to Protecting Your Privacy on the Internet" and "What Makes Us American" — all available for free on his personal YouTube channel.

Max Joseph's decision to leave "Catfish" shouldn't have come as a shock to longtime viewers. Before officially leaving in 2018, Joseph had already taken a brief hiatus in 2014 to direct his first feature film, "We Are Your Friends." Starring Zac Efron as an aspiring DJ, the film was intended to be a stylish, energetic look at youth culture and the music industry. However, despite its ambitions, the movie flopped — both critically and commercially. It still holds the record for one of the worst box office openings for such a wide release. 

Critics found the movie pretty underwhelming, and audiences largely ignored it, which is essentially a one-two knockout punch for a film. At that point, all you can hope for is that the movie might one day earn itself cult status. Despite the setback of his debut, Joseph obviously remained committed to his filmmaking ambitions. His brief departure from "Catfish" could be seen as a test run for his eventual full-time transition to directing.

Following Max Joseph's departure, "Catfish: The TV Show" experimented with several guest co-hosts before permanently bringing on Kamie Crawford to co-host with Nev Schulman for the show's eighth season in 2020. Crawford became a fan favorite, bringing her own sharp sense of humor and insight to the series. However, ahead of the show's ninth season, Crawford announced she would be leaving too — once again leaving a vacancy alongside Schulman.

In an exciting turn of events, Crawford's exit made room for Joseph to make a return to the show in Spring 2024. His reappearance on "Catfish" was a nice little treat for longtime fans who missed his dynamic with Schulman. While it's unclear if he'll take on a more permanent role in the future — since Crawford has left and his solo venture has been a little less than fruitful — his return was a welcome full-circle moment for the show and its viewers.