Comedian Craig Robinson has shared a hilarious case of mistaken identity that once left an ex-girlfriend convinced he was secretly married — all because of a media photo error. During an appearance on Today with Jenna & Sheinelle, the 54-year-old actor explained that a news outlet mistakenly ran his photo alongside a story about Craig Robinson, the former First Lady’s brother and a college basketball executive, prompting major confusion in his personal life.
“One time I was dating a girl, and she called me crying, thinking I was the married Craig Robinson,” he told hosts Jenna Bush Hager and Sheinelle Jones.
Jones immediately jumped in with the obvious reaction. “She was like, ‘How could you?’” Adding to the mix-up, both men share not only the same name but also deep ties to Chicago. Robinson joked that the article had “his name and my picture talking about his wife and kids,” calling it “a tricky one.”
“I was explaining it, but I was also laughing,” Robinson admitted. Bush Hager and Jones leaned into the moment, reenacting the inevitable explanation. “Baby, no — it’s the wrong one,” Jones joked. Bush Hager followed with, “That’s Mrs. Obama’s brother.”
The segment took an even better turn when the show surprised Robinson with a video message from the other Craig Robinson himself. “Hi Craig Robinson — it’s the other Craig Robinson,” Michelle Obama’s brother said, before congratulating the actor on his Broadway role in All Out. He then proposed a playful swap: the actor could host the IMO podcast with Michelle Obama, while he’d give Broadway a try.
“Really happy for us,” he added, sealing the moment. Robinson was game. “I would love to do something with Craig Robinson,” he said, prompting Jones to declare, “I smell a bromance.”
At the very least, it’s proof that sharing a name with a high-profile Chicagoan can come with unexpected complications — and, occasionally, a great punchline.
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