Michael Strahan Assures 'Gap Nation' His Teeth Are 'Here to Stay' After April Fool's Day Prank

Michael Strahan is still a proud card-carrying member of Gap Nation!

During a Monday appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, the Good Morning America co-anchor recalled the overwhelming responses he received following his April Fool's Day prank earlier this month, in which he appeared to close the gap in his front teeth.

"I truly did not think people cared that much about my teeth and I just did it as a little prank, thinking a few of my Instagram followers are gonna go, 'Oh, he's [being] crazy' — they would know it was fake," said Strahan, 49.

But the plan backfired in a way that actually ended up "ruin(ing)" the former NFL player's spring-break vacation with his kids.

"Seven hundred text messages, 400 emails. Everybody's trying to FaceTime me to see, and I [fooled] everybody," Strahan told host Ellen DeGeneres, 63.

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The Fox Sports commentator went on to say that he was setting the record straight once and for all: "I'm here to report that it was a prank."

"People still think it's real — I had all these messages, like, 'Oh, you do you, we're so proud of you.' But then I had the ones that were saying, 'You let Gap Nation down! You should be ashamed of yourself!' " he added.

Strahan concluded, "Gap Nation, I'm here to stay. I'm not going anywhere. April Fool's."

"I didn't realize there was a Gap Nation," DeGeneres said, joking, "You would be the king of it, if there's a Gap Nation. You make it work. It looks good."

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After Strahan posted a video on Instagram of himself seemingly getting the gap between his two front teeth closed on March 31, he later followed up to say it was, in fact, a joke.

"I was surprised, to be honest with you, at how many people were like, 'No! Don't get rid of the gap, it's your signature!' And I've always kind of looked at it that way, but I didn't know so many people cared," he said.

"I appreciate all the love for the gap, and I've had it for you know, almost 50 years," Strahan said, continuing to encourage other people with gaps to be confident in their smiles.

Then, the television star dramatically pulled his face mask down, adding, "I just wanted to say, April Fool's!", revealing with a smile that his signature gap was still there.