There are pranksters abound in Studio 1A.
On April 15, Tyra Banks co-hosted her second episode of TODAY with Jenna & Friends where she joined Jenna Bush Hager for “The Internet’s Divided,” a segment where hosts weigh in on a variety of topics that have social media buzzing.
“There are some saucy debates on the internet right now,” Jenna says at the start of the chat. After discussing Ayesha Curry and wedding budgeting, the hosts chat about whether it’s OK to fake a proposal to get free stuff.
“Her man got down on one knee and proposed, but the plot twist was they’re already married, this is not a real proposal,” Arianna Davis, TODAY.com editorial director, told Banks and Jenna as a video of a mischievous couple receiving applause from restaurant-goers played on screen.
Back on March 6, Los Angeles, California resident Jaela Bumpas posted a video to X showing the prank she and her husband pulled at a resort restaurant in Honolulu, Hawaii to get a couple of free margaritas, and it went viral, garnering over 38 million views.
It also amassed thousands of comments, with some comparing the action to “theft,” while others felt like the couple just had a good “sense of humor.”
So, what did Jenna and Banks have to say about the prank?
“OK, so my mom had a birthday many years ago, and we were in Dubai with my man, and he proceeded to say her birthday was going on for two weeks,” Banks said. “And for two weeks, it was people coming in with flowers and cakes and the fire and the Champagne.”
Banks then hid her head in her hands in mock-embarrassment to show as she recalled the fibbery.
“So guilty, family,” she said. “Super guilty.”
“I’ve done it,” Jenna chimed in.
“You have?” Tyra exclaimed in surprise.
“Well, my cousin pretended to propose to me, which sounds nasty,” Jenna said as laughter filled the room. A throwback photo is shown of Jenna and her cousin Sam LeBlond, who co-hosted in March.
“Look! That’s us!” she continued. “We look like a couple, don’t we?”
“No,” Banks said with a chuckle. “He looks like your cousin.”
“We weren’t 18. We did it kind of for laughs — and for dessert,” Jenna said.
Although an overwhelming majority of TODAY readers disagreed with faking a celebration to get something for free, Jenna remained unfazed.
“By the way, everybody’s faked a birthday,” she said. “If we’re honest.”
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