Dr. Phil: Te’o was victim of girlfriend hoax

McGraw said Tuiasosopo had feelings for Te'o.

“Here we have a young man that fell deeply, romantically in love,” McGraw said.

McGraw said he asked Tuiasosopo if he is gay.

“He said, `Well, when you put it that way, yes.’ Then he caught himself and said, `I am confused,’” McGraw said.

Te'o also was asked by Couric if he is gay. Te'o said “no” with a laugh. “Far from it. Faaaar from that,” he said.

Te'o said in the interview with Couric that Tuiasosopo tweeted him a direct message on Jan. 16, saying he had been behind the hoax. The message read: “I completely accept the consequences to the pain I’ve caused & it’s important that you know the truth before anyone else.”

Te'o told Couric that Tuiasosopo later called him and explained what he did.

“He didn’t say why. He just explained that he just wanted to help people and that was his way of helping people. Of being someone that he wasn’t and trying to connect with somebody on a different level to help them out,” Te'o said.

Te'o said he didn’t say much to Tuiasosopo.

“I just found that everything that I believed to be my reality wasn’t my reality at all,” Te'o said.

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