TikTok’s “I’m So Hungry” Trend Is Pure Viral Prank Bliss

The internet is full of pranks you can pull on family and friends, but a true masterpiece comes along every now and then that blows all the other practical jokes out of the water. Right now, it’s the “I’m so hungry” trend on TikTok. It has thousands of posts, millions of views, and each one is more hilarious than the next.

To pull the prank, you go through your target’s social media following, choose an obscure name, like their old high school friend or a random neighbor from their childhood, and then say, “I’m so hungry I could eat [that name].” Typically, the phrase is “I’m so hungry I could eat a horse,” but in this case, you say a name they likely haven’t heard in years, and that’s where the shock value comes in.

The best ones set up the conversation to seem natural at first., which is why this prank is often pulled over dinner. As you wait for your Caesar salad and fries, you might sigh and say to your dad, “I’m so hungry I could eat John Smith.” The reaction when they realize you just mentioned someone from their past is what makes this trend so funny.

In a viral video posted April 23, creator @brookekhainesss pulled this prank on her mom while they were snacking together one day. “Ugh, I’m so hungry I could eat Doc Clarkson,” she said, before pausing to let it sink in. Turns out, Doc Clarkson was her mom’s high school boyfriend. “Did you just say Doc Clarkson?” she asked, before bursting into laughter.

Another viral video came from @jillybettyliveupdates, who said, “Honestly dude? I’m so hungry I could eat Alyssa Scandura,” who was a girl from her friend’s high school golf team.

Her friend’s reaction was one of shock and confusion as she tried to piece together how they knew each other and why the name was being mentioned. “What? What’d you just say? She’s a friend of mine!”

Of course, the comments under this trend never disappoint. One person said, “I have laughed with uncontrollable glee at every single one of these.” Another person wrote, “This is my absolute favorite trend rn,” while another said, “LOL, the absolute shock on her face.”

To really nail this prank, it’s best if you go for the most random name from someone’s past, like @liv_irl, who pranked her boyfriend by going through his defunct Instagram. She chose a kid he used to build LEGOs with in middle school.

“I’m so hungry I could eat Tobias Wellen,” she said, as he turned around in disbelief. “Wait, wait, wait, what’d you say?” he asked, as the name sunk in. “How do you know who that is?”

In a viral video with over 3.1 million views, creator @__laurenn.chickk even went so far as to call her grandma to get the name of her mom’s high school boyfriend so she could really nail the trend — and ensure her mom would be sufficiently shocked.

“I’m seriously so starving right now I could eat Pat Kirby,” she said, before giggling uncontrollably. “No seriously, Pat...” Her mom, who was working on her laptop at the time, looked up in utter disbelief. “What the F is that about?”

This harmless yet hilarious trend has likely come across your FYP and provided hours of entertainment. If not, have a scroll and it’ll put you in a better mood, guaranteed — then try it on someone yourself.