Today show cast and crew got one over on its news anchor Natalie Morales as part of an April Fool's day prank which was overseen by an expert magician.

Morales, 40, was set up by her Today show producers who asked her to try out a new chair they said would be used during a taping.

Rich Ferguson, a magician, was called upon by the show's cast and disguised himself as an empty chair in Today's green room.

As several other people went to sit on the normal looking chair, Ferguson would reveal himself much to the terror of those who had been pranked. Some jumped, some screamed and Morales said she almost punched Ferguson during her turn in the hot seat.

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The show's co-host Matt Lauer first broached the subject of pranks with Ferguson by asking the magician what practical jokes could be played on people without causing excessive embarrassment or anger.

Later in the show, the pranks continued as an on-air marriage proposal went down in flames as Morales and a horrified Martha Stewart looked on during the broadcast. The man, who asked his girlfriend to marry him, watched as she broke down and cried before asking the camera to cut away.

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Moments later, Morales and Steward were informed that the couple was actually a couple of actors who were, ironically, a real-life husband and wife improve team.

The show's good-natured broadcast was a welcome departure from some of the recent controversies which have plagued the show since the firing of former co-host, Ann Curry.

Last month, Lauer finally broke his 8-month silence regarding the unexpected termination of Curry. Lauer told the Daily Beast that the time period leading up to and following Curry's departure "was a hard time for everybody" and brought negative attention to the show.

Curry declined an embrace from Lauer and many viewers ended up placing the blame for Curry's unexpected ousting at Lauer's feet.

His future at the show remains under a cloud of uncertainty and last week former Today intern Mark Zinni criticized Lauer on Twitter, calling him "not so nice."

On Friday, Today show co-host Savannah Guthrie appeared to have flipped off Lauer during its live broadcast. Footage from the show features Guthrie walking away from a vacuum cleaner demonstration and jokingly raising her hand, with one of her fingers directed toward at Lauer after he made a crack about Guthrie's vacuuming skills.

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Natalie Morales