Natalie Negrotti and her Big Brother boyfriend James Huling are known for their pranks, but did the reality TV lovebirds go too far? Negrotti, who appeared with Huling on the 18 th season of the CBS reality show, is explaining the couple’s actions after they posted a prank Thanksgiving engagement photo that had some fans fired up.
Big Brother fans were buzzing after James posted a photo of himself down on one knee and putting a ring on Natalie’s finger in front of the family Thanksgiving table. Huling captioned the photo with, “Happiest day ever! She said yes.” Diehard Jatalie fans were thrilled over the prospect of a Big Brother marriage, and many of them offered the couple congratulations on social media.
Happiest day ever! She said yes ?? @NataliaNegrotti pic.twitter.com/mIJ8pdtrTP
— ????? ?????? (@AsianJamesBB17) November 24, 2016
But it wasn’t long before Negrotti clarified the photo by captioning her own snap with, “I said yes….to the prank.”
While some fans gave James and Natalie props for pulling off the perfect prank, others were not happy about it at all. Some people accused Jatalie of trying to stay in the spotlight by milking their 15 minutes of fame.
It’s funny (sad) that Natalie/James have to prank people just to hold on to their 15 minutes of “fame”.
— Chris (@bob_abooee) November 25, 2016
james and natalie #BB18 biggest attention whores. they are still playing the game to get more followers on social media. #jatalie
— red pill (@helga730) November 27, 2016
In a series of her own tweets, Natalie Negrotti went on to explain that she pranked everyone—including her own family, cousins, Jets cheerleader teammates and even her best friends—and they all fell for it. The prank was not just aimed at Big Brother fans.
The funny thing is I pranked my own family, my cousins, my sister, my teammates, my best friends. EVERYONE close to me fell for it ????
— Natalie Negrotti (@NataliaNegrotti) November 25, 2016
Negrotti described the carefully choreographed pic as “the ultimate prank.” She also gave herself a “point for the prank queen,” and defended her and James’ love–with or without a ring.
Just remember people… being engaged doesn’t make a relationship stronger. If you’re in love a ring doesn’t change anything. Goodnight!
— Natalie Negrotti (@NataliaNegrotti) November 25, 2016
Natalie Negrotti says she has been a prankster since childhood. While some fans didn’t appreciate her faux engagement photo, Natalie is not having it. Negrotti later warned naysayers to get out of her kitchen if they can’t handle her jokes. The Jets cheerleader reminded fans that she dedicates her life to charity and helping others, and she questioned why people would get mad over a silly and harmless prank.
I’m a prankster.. have been since I was a little girl. Take it or leave it. Life is to be lived joking, pranking, and laughing hard everyday
— Natalie Negrotti (@NataliaNegrotti) November 25, 2016
It’s funny I dedicate my life to charity and helping others and prank not hurting or killing anyone and ppl get mad. LOL
— Natalie Negrotti (@NataliaNegrotti) November 26, 2016
Big Brother fans have been privy to James Huling’s pranks since he first made his debut on the CBS reality show in the summer of 2015. At the time, he told The Hollywood Reporter he played so many pranks on his housemates that he couldn’t use his ” fingers, toes and theirs to count them.”
Huling returned this summer for another season of the long-running reality show and he brought his bag of tricks with him. One of James’ best pranks was when he replaced Natalie’s face cream with mayonnaise. But he seemed to have met his match with Natalie, who had no problem getting him back by spiking his water bottle with sea salt.
While James and Natalie’s Thanksgiving proposal photo was fake, Natalie has not ruled out the possibility that she will someday marry her Big Brother co-star. Negrotti has been vocal about the fact that she is in love with Huling and that he is her soulmate. And when a fan on a Periscope session recently asked Natalie if there is a possibility that she and James will get married, the brunette beauty didn’t rule it out.
“Yes, we’ll see,” Negrotti said. “We’ll see if we’re going to get married.”
James and Natalie aren’t engaged yet, but if they ever do decide to get married they will be the fourth marriage to come out of the Big Brother franchise. Other married couples from the show include veterans Rachel Reilly and Brendon Villegas and Jeff Schroeder and Jordan Lloyd. Both couples even welcomed babies this year. In addition, two-time Big Brother vet Daniele Donato met her husband, Dominic Briones, on the CBS reality show.
Take a look at the video below to see Natalie Negrotti pranking James Huling when they were in the Big Brother house.
[Featured Image by CBS Big Brother live feeds/Natalie Negrotti Instagram]