It started as playful banter, but quickly turned into a public warning. On NBC’s Today With Jenna & Friends, Jenna Bush Hager and her co-host Willie Geist dove into a surprisingly relatable—and slightly controversial—topic: what it means to get “high school drunk.” But here’s where it got serious… and just a little awkward.
The conversation kicked off after the hosts discussed a recent interview with George Clooney, in which the actor admitted he’d been “sick all day” following a night of heavy drinking—something he jokingly likened to being “high school drunk.” Geist quipped that given Clooney owns a tequila company, it’s not hard to guess what might have fueled the scenario. He emphasized he’s “not a huge drinker,” a statement Bush Hager wasn’t ready to let slide.
“You’re not a huge drinker because you don’t drink to get drunk,” she teased, and Geist conceded the point. He clarified that while he enjoys a drink, he avoids the kind of binge drinking Clooney described. Bush Hager chimed in with agreement: “I don’t like to get high school drunk.”
Although they avoided spelling out the exact meaning, it was clear the term referred to the throw-caution-to-the-wind style of drinking common among inexperienced teenagers—and the body’s brutal response afterward. Bush Hager reflected, “When you’re younger, you bounce back faster after drinking like that. As adults, the recovery is far worse.”
And that’s when Bush Hager shifted her tone. Looking directly into the camera, she delivered a firm PSA: “You’re not supposed to be getting drunk in high school. Just a PSA—don’t do it.” Then, catching herself, she added, “I meant college!” Geist backed her up with a legal reminder: “No, it’s against the law. We’re talking drinking in your senior year of college—when you’re 21.”
Still, Bush Hager couldn’t resist pushing the joke further, saying maybe she really meant “24-year-old drunk.” Geist, sensing the moment had grown uncomfortably personal, smoothly steered the conversation to another topic.
The exchange blended humor with an important point about underage drinking—and left viewers with lingering questions. Is the concept of “high school drunk” just harmless nostalgia for youthful mistakes, or does joking about it risk normalizing illegal and unhealthy behavior? Where’s the line between playful storytelling and responsible messaging? Let us know which side of the debate you’re on in the comments.
