192 MINUTES WITH ...Reesa Teesa
New York magazine|March 11-24, 2024
The "Who TF Did I Marry" TikToker, whose tale of a lying husband went megaviral, says she won't be fooled again.
ANGELINA CHAPIN
192 MINUTES WITH ...Reesa Teesa

AN HOUR BEFORE her Good Morning America interview, Reesa Teesa is texting her lawn guy. Focusing on the grass and shrubs back home in Atlanta is helping her "not freak out about this," she says while riding the elevator to hair and makeup. "This"-appearing on the country's No. 1-rated morning show, watched by millions of people-"is terrifying." The door opens backstage, where Robin Roberts is walking by. The anchor pulls Teesa to the side. "Thank you for having the courage to tell your story," she says. "Don't make me cry," Teesa responds. The TikToker then drops her luggage off in the greenroom, where she tries to calm herself with deep breaths: "My whole prayer right now is like, 'God, please, I don't want to sound like a babbling fool.""

Reesa Teesa, whose real name is Tareasa Johnson, is adjusting to her new reality as a folk hero for scorned women. Last month, the 39-year-old was still angry over an ugly divorce when she Stitched a TikTok video asking, "What's a f*cked up thing that your ex did to you?" Teesa told the internet that hers, a man she calls Legion, turned out to be a "pathological liar" who made up family members and forged documents in an attempt to buy a house. "In the end," she says in the video, "the only thing that turned out to be true was his name and his date of birth." Commenters said the story sounded like a Lifetime movie. So Teesa decided to record more videos. The result is a 50-part, nearly eight-hour series. As of press time, she has gone from 8,000 followers to 3.7 million, and part one of the saga has 39 million views.

This story is from the March 11-24, 2024 edition of New York magazine.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the March 11-24, 2024 edition of New York magazine.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM NEW YORK MAGAZINEView All
LIFE AS A MILLENNIAL STAGE MOM
New York magazine

LIFE AS A MILLENNIAL STAGE MOM

A journey into the CUTTHROAT and ADORABLE world of professional CHILD ACTORS.

time-read
10+ mins  |
December 30, 2024 - January 12, 2025
THE NEXT DRUG EPIDEMIC IS BLUE RASPBERRY FLAVORED
New York magazine

THE NEXT DRUG EPIDEMIC IS BLUE RASPBERRY FLAVORED

When the Amor brothers started selling tanks of flavored nitrous oxide at their chain of head shops, they didn't realize their brand would become synonymous with the country's burgeoning addiction to gas.

time-read
10+ mins  |
December 30, 2024 - January 12, 2025
Two Texans in Williamsburg
New York magazine

Two Texans in Williamsburg

David Nuss and Sarah Martin-Nuss tried to decorate their house on their own— until they realized they needed help: Like, how do we not just go to Pottery Barn?”

time-read
3 mins  |
December 30, 2024 - January 12, 2025
ADRIEN BRODY FOUND THE PART
New York magazine

ADRIEN BRODY FOUND THE PART

The Brutalist is the best, most personal work he's done since The Pianist.

time-read
10+ mins  |
December 30, 2024 - January 12, 2025
Art, Basil
New York magazine

Art, Basil

Manuela is a farm-to-table gallery for hungry collectors.

time-read
4 mins  |
December 30, 2024 - January 12, 2025
'Sometimes a Single Word Is Enough to Open a Door'
New York magazine

'Sometimes a Single Word Is Enough to Open a Door'

How George C. Wolfein collaboration with Audra McDonald-subtly, indelibly reimagined musical theater's most domineering stage mother.

time-read
10+ mins  |
December 30, 2024 - January 12, 2025
Rolling the Dice on Bird Flu
New York magazine

Rolling the Dice on Bird Flu

Denial, resilience, déjà vu.

time-read
5 mins  |
December 30, 2024 - January 12, 2025
The Most Dangerous Game
New York magazine

The Most Dangerous Game

Fifty years on, Dungeons & Dragons has only grown more popular. But it continues to be misunderstood.

time-read
10+ mins  |
December 30, 2024 - January 12, 2025
88 MINUTES WITH...Andy Kim
New York magazine

88 MINUTES WITH...Andy Kim

The new senator from New Jersey has vowed to shake up the political Establishment, a difficult task in Trump's Washington.

time-read
6 mins  |
December 30, 2024 - January 12, 2025
Apex Stomps In
New York magazine

Apex Stomps In

The $44.6 million mega-Stegosaurus goes on view (for a while) at the American Museum of Natural History.

time-read
1 min  |
December 30, 2024 - January 12, 2025