Jenna Bush Hager shocks Willie Geist by dropping $20,000 cake in April Fool's Day prank: 'The fal...
And Sharon Stone watched it all happen.
Jenna Bush Hager shocks Willie Geist by dropping $20,000 cake in April Fool’s Day prank: ‘The fall was real!’
And Sharon Stone watched it all happen.
By Shania Russell
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Shania Russell
Shania Russell is a news writer at *, *with five years of experience. Her work has previously appeared in SlashFilm and Paste Magazine.
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April 1, 2026 6:17 p.m. ET
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Jenna Bush Hager on the 'Today Show'. Credit:
No one's safe on April Fools Day — not even the person pulling the prank.
Jenna Bush Hager learned this lesson the hard way after attempting to pull a fast one on guest cohost Willie Geist during the April 1 broadcast of* Today with Jenna & Sheinelle. *During the Wednesday morning segment, Hager, Geist, and editor Arianna Davis were running down a list of trending topics when they turned their attention to an (allegedly) viral cake that people have been shilling out thousands of dollars to get their hands on.
But what Geist didn't know is that *Today* made up the "famous" cake and its bakery.
"We’ve got to talk about this viral cake that’s being walked in, very carefully," Geist said as *Today* culinary producer Katie Stilo carefully walked out with the intricate two-layer cake, topped with macaroons, strawberries, gold flakes and caviar.
"This is a $20,000 cake," Davis told the live studio audience. "It is all the rage right now on the internet, because they only make one of these every single day."
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Jenna Bush Hager, Willie Geist, and Arianna Davis on 'Today' April 1.
As Davis spoke, Stilo motioned for Hager to lend her a hand, pretending to struggle over the cake's weight. Jenna helpfully jumped up and took the platter in both hands — before dropping the cake in its entirety.
"Oh my gosh," Jenna exclaimed, as the cake flopped on the ground. Making matters more dramatic — and tragic — Jenna immediately slipped on some of the spilled frosting, barely catching herself on a nearby chair.
Behind the camera, crew members, and the audience members snickered.
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The prank did succeed in shocking Geist, whose jaw fell open when Hager fell. But immediately, he schooled his expression into a look of suspicion.
"Well, there goes the one cake," Davis laughed. "$20,000, Jenna."
But Geist was already onto them and leaned down to help Hager up before declaring, "April Fools!"
He then commended Hager on her commitment, adding, "Good job."
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Jenna Bush Hager and Willie Geist on 'Today' April 1.
"You knew?" she asked
"Only after you went down," Geist replied.
"Well, I did get it all over my shoes. I really committed," Hager said, confirming that her icing mishap was not part of the plan. "The fall was real. We tried to trick Willie."
"The commitment from Jenna Bush Hager to take this spill for the cause," Willie later said, requesting a slow-motion replay. "Can we see that one more time?"
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Geist admitted that prior to the fall, he truly believed that a trendy $20,000 cake had arrived on the scene, noting, "Upstairs, I was like, 'You know, it’s a crazy world out there, someone’s going to buy that for their wedding. Maybe it’s real.' I was locked in until you went down."
Apologizing to the crew for the prank's failure, Jenna turned to where the show's next guest, Sharon Stone, was waiting in the wings, quipping, "I’m so embarrassed. You want some caviar?"
Hager added, "Sharon, please don’t judge us."
Watch Hager's epic prank fail above.
Source: “EW Talk”