Most people remember the clip. It’s 2012. A man named Nathaniel is leaning over the hood of a red 1998 Chevy Monte Carlo named Chase. He’s not just waxing the paint or checking the oil. He’s kissing the bumper.
The "Car My Strange Addiction" segment remains one of the most viral moments in the history of TLC’s long-running docuseries. But beneath the shock value and the early-2010s reality TV editing, there is a much more complex psychological reality that the show barely scratched. It isn't just a quirk. For Nathaniel, and others like him, the attraction is a deeply felt orientation known as objectophilia or objectum sexuality (OS).
Watching it back today, the footage feels exploitative. You’ve probably seen the memes. However, if we actually look at the clinical reality of objectophilia, the "strange" part of the addiction starts to look less like a punchline and more like a misunderstood intersection of neurodiversity and human emotion.
The Man Behind the Monte Carlo
Nathaniel’s story wasn't just about a car. He claimed to have a full-blown romantic and sexual relationship with Chase, the Monte Carlo. He took the car on dates. He bought it gifts. He even expressed feelings of jealousy.
It sounds wild. I get it. But for Nathaniel, the emotional stakes were incredibly high. He described a sensation of "energy" coming from the vehicle, a connection that he found more stable and rewarding than any relationship he had ever had with another human being. This is a hallmark of OS. People who identify as objectum sexual often report that humans are "too loud" or "unpredictable," whereas the objects they love provide a consistent, unwavering presence.
TLC's My Strange Addiction thrived on the "ick factor," but they often ignored the trauma or the specific brain wiring that leads to these behaviors. Nathaniel wasn't "addicted" to the car in the way someone is addicted to a substance. He was in love with it. He spent years trying to hide it before the show aired, fearing exactly what happened: becoming a global laughingstock.
Is Objectophilia a Real Condition?
Psychology is still catching up. Technically, the DSM-5 (the big book of mental disorders) might categorize this under "Paraphilias Not Otherwise Specified." But many experts and those within the OS community argue that it shouldn't be pathologized at all.
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Dr. Amy Marsh, a clinical sexologist, has done some of the most extensive research on this. She found that for many people with these attractions, there is a strong link to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and synesthesia.
Think about it this way: if your brain processes sensory input differently, a cold piece of steel might feel "warm" or "kind" to you. It's not a choice. It's how the wires are crossed. In a 2010 study, researchers found that people with OS often experience a high degree of empathy toward inanimate objects—a phenomenon called anthropomorphism, taken to its absolute limit.
Beyond the Red Chevy: A Global Community
Nathaniel wasn't the first, and he won't be the last. Erika Eiffel famously "married" the Eiffel Tower in 2007. She faced massive public backlash and was eventually banned from the site. She became a spokesperson of sorts for the OS community, trying to explain that their feelings are consensual (on their end) and harmless to others.
The My Strange Addiction car episode framed Nathaniel as an isolated weirdo. In reality, there are online forums and support groups where hundreds of people discuss their relationships with trains, bridges, fences, and, yes, cars.
They use terms like:
- OS: Objectum Sexuality.
- Object-fiancé: A term used for an object one intends to "marry."
- Inanimate Empathy: The ability to feel the "emotions" of an object.
It's a lonely existence. Most people keep their "addiction" a secret because society is incredibly cruel to anyone whose love life doesn't involve another human. Nathaniel took a huge risk going on TV, and honestly, the show didn't do him any favors by focusing on the physical acts rather than the emotional vacuum he was trying to fill.
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Why We Can't Stop Watching
Why did the car episode of My Strange Addiction go so viral? It’s the "uncanny valley" of human behavior. We see someone performing a very human action—loving, kissing, caring—but the recipient is a machine. It triggers a visceral reaction.
But there's also a deeper cultural fascination with cars. We name our cars. We talk to them when they won't start. We feel "sad" when we trade them in. Nathaniel just took that common human impulse and turned the volume up to eleven.
Most car enthusiasts would say they "love" their car. They spend thousands on upgrades and hours in the garage. Is Nathaniel that different, or is he just more honest about the depth of his attachment? That's the question the show never bothered to ask.
The Dark Side of Reality TV "Help"
In the episode, the show usually brings in a therapist. These "experts" often try to "cure" the person in a 42-minute runtime. With Nathaniel, the focus was on getting him to date women.
It didn't work. Of course it didn't work. You can't talk someone out of their fundamental attractions with a couple of therapy sessions and a forced coffee date. The "Strange Addiction" label itself is a misnomer here. Addiction implies a destructive cycle of dependency on a substance. Objectophilia is more about identity.
When you strip away the dramatic music and the "shocking" close-ups, you're left with a man who felt a profound sense of companionship with a machine. It's weird to us, sure. But in a world that is increasingly digital and disconnected, seeking comfort in a physical object is a survival mechanism for some.
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Moving Beyond the Stigma
If you or someone you know genuinely struggles with a fixation that feels like the "Car My Strange Addiction" story, it's important to differentiate between a harmless preference and a genuine obsession that interferes with daily life.
The goal shouldn't be "shaming" the behavior into disappearing. That never works. Instead, focusing on the "why" is more productive. Is there an underlying neurodivergence? Is it a response to social anxiety? Or is it just a unique way of experiencing the world?
Actionable Steps for Understanding and Support
If you find yourself fascinated or even personally affected by these types of unconventional attractions, consider these steps:
1. Seek Neuro-Affirming Therapy
Don't just go to any counselor. Look for therapists who specialize in neurodiversity (Autism/ADHD) and "alternative sexualities." A therapist who tries to "fix" objectophilia as if it's a drug habit will likely cause more harm than good. You want someone who understands how sensory processing affects emotional bonds.
2. Audit the Media You Consume
Recognize that shows like My Strange Addiction are designed for entertainment, not education. They edit footage to make people look as "crazy" as possible. If you want the truth, read peer-reviewed journals on objectum sexuality or listen to interviews with people in the OS community where they aren't being prompted by a producer to do something "shocking."
3. Practice Radical Empathy
Before mocking someone for a "strange" behavior, ask yourself if that behavior is actually hurting anyone. Nathaniel loving his car didn't break any laws or injure any people. The stigma and isolation he faced after the show aired, however, had real-world negative impacts on his mental health.
4. Explore the Intersection of Technology and Loneliness
As AI and robotics advance, the line between "man and machine" is blurring for everyone. We are seeing a rise in people forming emotional bonds with AI chatbots. Nathaniel was just ahead of the curve in terms of finding companionship in the non-human. Understanding this trend can help us navigate a future where these "strange addictions" might become much more common.
The story of the man who loved his car isn't just a 2012 internet relic. It's a case study in how we treat the "other" and how little we actually understand about the diversity of the human brain. We don't have to "get" it to be respectful. Chase the car might be gone, but the conversation about how and why we love what we love is only just beginning.