The “Calling Exes to Say Goodnight” Trend on TikTok Is Borderline Cringe

If you grew up in the ‘90s or early 2000s, prank calling was a go-to form of entertainment. Whether you picked a random number from the phone book (remember those?) or called a local fast food spot to ask if they sold shoes, the goal was always the same: Catch the person on the other end totally off guard.

TikTok has since modernized the prank call to focus on people you actually know (it’s probably a lot safer that way, anyway).

And one of the best examples is the “goodnight prank,” where guys call their bros at night just to say “goodnight.”

TikTok users have even put a twist on the original trend, and this one involves exes. Genius, right? The “calling exes to say goodnight” prank is now making the rounds, with people phoning their ex-boyfriends, ex-girlfriends, even ex-spouses just to casually say “goodnight.” And some of the responses are absolutely priceless. Let’s get into the best ones.

The “calling exes to say goodnight” prank trending on TikTok is as awkward as it is hilarious. Here’s how it works: You pick an ex, could be a boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, or wife, but only if you feel comfortable, because some relationships are better left dead.

You call them around bedtime (too early and it’ll be a dead giveaway), and start with a casual “Hey, what’s up?” or “How’s it going?” — and then follow that up with, “Well, I just wanted to call and say goodnight.” Because you’re exes, they’re usually completely thrown off.

This guy’s ex-wife is clearly over her ex-husband’s shenanigans, and you can hear it in her tone. The fact that she sounds like she was getting ready for bed before eye surgery the next morning adds even more edge. Like, why is he calling her? And why on earth would he want to say goodnight? They’re divorced!

This woman decided to call her ex-husband of over 25 years to say goodnight. Her daughter captured the whole thing while they were sitting in the car. Needless to say, her dad, also her mom’s ex, was pretty caught off guard, but at least he said he was going to have a good night just because she called.

In this compilation clip, viewers were more surprised that all the exes answered than by their actual responses! But the first one (involving Nate) has some people thinking this woman might still be in love.

The trend has gotten so popular that even Australian fitness influencer Tammy Hembrow jumped in on it, and yes, she called her ex-husband, Reece Hawkins, to carry it out. He was definitely caught off guard, but Tammy got a good laugh. While some commenters brought up their past and wished they’d get back together, others mentioned rumors that he cheated on her (they share two kids), though there’s no evidence to support that.

The “call your ex to say goodnight” trend isn’t just about leaving your ex utterly confused (and probably stuck wondering why you called for days), it’s also a hilarious way to lighten the mood and get a good laugh.