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Savannah Bananas performer face plants attempting backflip on CNN

FaceProfileby: Thomas Goldkamp07/24/25

The Savannah Bananas have grown immensely popular in recent years. With that fame can also come infamy, and a recent interview on CNN is likely to end in the latter.

During the interview, a member of the Savannah Bananas was attempting to show off some of the acrobatics that make up the show when things went wrong. He didn’t complete his rotation, feet scuffing on the floor toward the tail end of the flip.

Inevitably, that resulted in a face plant. The microphone pack even hit the floor, as the hosts of the CNN show looked on in shock. You can check it out below.

“That, that, what you just saw there is a brand new twist on America’s favorite pastime,” the CNN host said, presumably sticking with the predetermined script. The other host stifled a laugh.

But what’s undeniable is the popularity the Savannah Bananas have built in recent years. Their theatrics while performing a modified version of a baseball game has captured that attention of thousands. Ballparks across America have been sold out, and everyone seemingly wants in on the action.

Savannah Bananas selling out football stadiums

The Savannah Bananas embarked on a 39-game tour in 2025, one that will take them through the heart of America. The venues even include three football stadiums, showing the broad appeal of the traveling group.

Earlier this summer, the team played in the Charlotte Bank of America Stadium to a massive crowd. The tour was also set to take the team to Memorial Stadium in Clemson and Nissan Stadium in Tennessee.

The extensive list of other parks on the tour included the home stadiums of the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Philadelphia Phillies, Baltimore Orioles, Houston Astros, Seattle Mariners, San Diego Padres, Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago White Sox, Colorado Rockies, Washington Nationals, Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals, St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Angels, Atlanta Braves, Tampa Bay Rays and Miami Marlins.

Bottom line: The Savannah Bananas are immensely popular. And the owner of the group thinks it’s just the start.

“At first people were like, ‘Well you’re just the Harlem Globetrotters of baseball,’” Savannah Bananas owner and Banana Ball creator Jesse Cole said. “I do take that as a compliment because the Globetrotters fundamentally changed the game of basketball, and they’re going on 100 years.

“But we look at ourselves as, we’re building a sport. We’re building something for the future generations to have fun with and really create something truly special. That is where this dream gets much bigger.”