Kriti Mehrotra
As an Erin Lee Carr-directed original documentary that delves deep into the way the lives of many have changed, Hulu’s ‘Fanatical: The Catfishing of Tegan and Sara’ is unlike any other. That’s because it incorporates not just archival footage but also exclusive interviews with the titular music duo as well as some of their fans to carefully chronicle how one has gone too far. After all, for over 15 years, someone pretending to be Tegan has been building relationships with fans like Julie Locher online by talking to them, sharing personal information, and much more.
Julie Locher Was an Unsuspecting Fan Just Finding Herself When Fake Tegan Struck
It was back when Julie was admittedly having a tough time with the realization she was queer during her initial few years as an actual adult attending college that she found Tegan and Sara’s music. She was genuinely afraid of her own emotions, along with society’s opinions on the same, yet the community she found through this indie duo helped her get through some of her darkest moments. The fact these identical twins were quite open and accessible at the time gave her an added sense of belonging too, especially since she felt as if they were just ordinary beings instead of big celebrities.
Therefore, when a fellow fan told Julie that Tegan had a personal Facebook profile, she immediately sent in a request before also sending a message to express her appreciation for their music. Little did she know she would get such a positive reply it would drive her to begin an actual conversation, which then evolved into many until they formed an actual association. In fact, with the way “Tegan” gradually shared some private experiences, unreleased song demos, as well as familial details like her mother having cancer, the former wholeheartedly believed the musician was her friend.
However, everything turned upside down for Julie in 2011 when she received a message from “Tegan” with a file name and password, only for it to contain some of the twins’ legal documents. She understandably found this strange despite their bond as there was no context attached, driving her to get in touch with a friend she knew had a confirmed connection with the musical duo’s management. That’s how she learned she had been talking to an imposter for three years because the real Tegan had no idea who she even was, shattering her confidence and trust in others for years.
Julie Locher Has Managed to Happily Move On in Life
Even though Julie was fortunately not scammed out of any money or monetary items, she did feel horrifically taken advantage of because of the emotional connection she had developed over time. In fact, this was to such an extent that she couldn’t even hear any of Tegan and Sara’s music (old or new) for the ensuing few years without getting triggered, so she sadly lost her community too. Then, in her admitted paranoia, the young woman also cut off most of her acquaintances because she just didn’t know whom she could trust or depend upon — she said, “It was just too much for me.”
Thankfully, though, as time passed, Julie was able to understand that the actions of this fake “Tegan” had nothing to do with the indie duo or her but everything to do with their own need for attention. That’s why they catfished in the first place. It thus took a while, but she was able to happily fall back in love with Tegan and Sara’s music as well as people in general, which ultimately led her to her wife, Ali Jo Rodgers Locher. They blissfully tied the knot in 2021.
As for Julie’s professional standing, from what we can tell, this spring 2024 Johnson County Community College graduate with a degree in respiratory care is now a Registered Respiratory Therapist at Saint Luke’s Health System. However, it is imperative to note that this proud Kansas City Metropolitan Area resident and sports enthusiast had an entirely different career before this significant phase of her life. The 2008 Kansas State University Sociology-Criminology graduate was a police officer with the Overland Park Police Department until 2010 before serving as a security personnel for nearly 13 years.
Read More: Tegan and Sara Quin: Where Are the Musicians Now?
