'Ellen Show' Proposal Rejected

A man named Jacob Waterdale proposed to his girlfriend live on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" Thursday, but, in an uncomfortable twist, the proposal was rejected.

Between sobs, his girlfriend, Jodie, cried out "I can't!" and "I'm sorry!"

But Ellen's reaction -- awkward laughter -- made viewers question whether or not the proposal was a prank. After the show aired, Twitter buzzed with the question.

TooFab.com reports that the proposal was indeed a hoax, and says "Jacob Waterdale" is actually an "Ellen Show" staffer who helped with a prank last year.

Ellen's YouTube page offers only this confusing explanation: "[The propsal] didn't seem to be going too well, but thankfully, it was the 12 Days of Giveaways!" Maybe the sting of rejection was relieved by the knowledge that Ellen would soon be showering her audience with gifts? Perhaps. But it's hard to tell if the "Ellen Show" proposal was a prank, given the awkwardness of the real-life failed proposals in our slideshow below.

What do you think? Let us know in the comments!

Comments

[Ren97]

12:16 PM on 01/09/2012

You don't watch the show often. When the bell rings, it's because the 12 days of giveaway's giveaway is coming. BEFORE the bell rings, there is a fake-out. THIS PROPOSAL was a fake-out.

EH.

[qsfoxx]

04:30 AM on 12/31/2011

Like Red Rider BB gun mania, socially inappropriate behavior has no bounds. On court at a basketball game during half time? Gimme a break!

[chaya]

06:00 PM on 12/29/2011

It was a prank. Ellen didn't laugh "awkwardly." She laughed like she had pranked the audience.

[Clamdip LobsterClaws]

05:19 AM on 12/29/2011

Do they propose in a public venue because they think the woman will be pressured into marrying them? Very embarrassing! It's such a personal, private moment, why would you share it with a million other people?

[DeathSquad]

02:06 PM on 12/22/2011

Why do people feel the need to propose in such public venues? Shouldn't it just be about you and the person you love enough to spend the rest of your life with? (theoretically.) Stop worrying about how many youtube hits your proposal will get and focus on THE PERSON YOU WANT TO MARRY.

[Gail Bannister]

10:02 AM on 12/22/2011

Anybody who watches her show will see it for what it was: a prank. Ellen often does a prank segment before her giveaway. This was perfectly clear because his reaction was no where near as extreme as it would have been had it been real. Also, notice that "Jodi" dropped her hands and smiled moments after the bells cue started.

Wow....FAR too much is being made of this.

[Daniel Shea]

08:04 PM on 12/20/2011

Why would anyone choose to make a proposal, a rather intimate thing, in such a public space? To pressure the Intended? To create a spectacle? To (ironically) relieve the anxiety by including dozens of others nominally on your side?
Whatever the reason, it bodes ill.

[rafaelrobyns]

09:10 PM on 12/20/2011

I don't see anything wrong with the public thing if that's what floats their boats. But if you're going to do it in public, it better be a foregone conclusion.

[spicedust]

03:30 PM on 12/19/2011

It was too short to draw a conclusion ... bad editing

[trebor462]

12:36 PM on 12/19/2011

STUPID, STUPID, STUPID!!!!!

[LaurieAnne Placente]

11:54 AM on 12/19/2011

All these so called give away's are nice to see, but what about the repercussions? TAXES?? who pays for that? I am a disabled person who would like to be able to go on a plane and see a show and win stuff, but can I? Heck no, can't afford it, don't live near California either. Win something,,Disabled,,I'm lucky to have a computer and the things I have.Would be shocked to find out I was "picked" and sent something, anyting, a signed picture anything, will I? Most likely not, I haven't "LIKE" someone on Facebook or attempted to write for tickets numerous times, I'm just a normal, everyday type American who gets to "wish" like the rest of us.

[jmead12027]

11:13 AM on 12/19/2011

Regardless if a gag (prank) or not, this was definitely a low class stunt.

[79sWife]

10:35 AM on 12/19/2011

Thank goodness this was a prank! It was awful to watch-very good actors! Ellen doesn't disapoint, shes a wonderful person, and yes I do think this is similar to Oprah, but they are good friends. Why wouldn't they do the same things? Ellen is very funny, I hope her show does not get canceled. With all of the stress of today, bills, grocery money (which is a bill), gas-another bill, stress from everything-kids, work, end of the world in 2012??, and oh yes bills, and bills, I find comedy (of any kind) and Hollywood very, Very necessary to get away from it all even for just five minutes, And I appreciate those who give me that opportunity.

[Patrick J Hamilton]

10:21 AM on 12/19/2011

It wasn't a hoax, it was a gag. She does this kind of thing every day during 12 Days. How is this NEWS? And why are you insinuating controversy? Oh yeah, to capitalize on Ellen.

[Billv1]

07:26 AM on 12/19/2011

Ellen is only interested in marriage between people of the SAME sex.

[piyushsomvanshi]

10:21 AM on 12/19/2011

agreed!!

[carmillivanilli]

11:22 AM on 12/19/2011

Oh, definitely. Because she's a lesbian, it stands to reason that she has an insatiable urge to see everyone renounce their heterosexuality and gay-marry each other. "Down with the breeders! The gays will rule the galaxy!" she cackles, twirling her mustache and kicking a kitten.

[Whitney Denton]

12:08 PM on 12/19/2011

carmillivanilli: hahahahaha :):):):) Nice response!

[Mallory Bernard]

12:42 PM on 12/19/2011

Hilar!!! I'm straight as a pin and even I know Ellen doesn't have such an agenda.

[Hedonist88]

05:53 AM on 12/19/2011

This wasn't a prank. Study the woman's reaction before the poor dude came in and she was trembling with utter surprise. After the rejection, he was obviously dejected and trying to comfort her. Sad :(

[Aurelie Verne]

04:51 PM on 01/07/2012

Anybody who watches the 12 days of giveaways knows that she does a fake out everyday. The music that played after the proposal is to announce that the audience has been pranked and it's the giveaway part of the show. And if she has anyone propose on her show, she definitely doesn't let the person know before the man comes out. She makes a better surprise out of it. Everyone needs to calm down and stop insinuating things. Those are both her staff members and they are not even a couple!!!