Smokey Row, Drake Diner featured in 'What Would You Do?' with Newton native Sara Haines
You’re sitting at Smokey Row in Des Moines when you hear a commotion. A woman has discovered that her boyfriend is cheating on her by tracking his phone to the coffee shop.
Do you intervene or not?
That’s exactly what unfolded on a season 16 episode of “What Would You Do?” that aired on March 3 on ABC, the hidden camera show where actors play out different scenarios to see how bystanders react.
The show, hosted by John Quiñones, features two guest correspondents this season, cultural commentator W. Kamau Bell and Newton native Sara Haines, cohost of “The View.”
But Smokey Row wasn’t the only place in Des Moines featured in the latest season. Read on for details (spoilers included).
Des Moines’ Smokey Row is featured in ‘What Would You Do?’ episode. What happens?
The final segment in this episode of “What Would You Do?” took place inside Smokey Row, where two actors, a man and a woman, sat at a booth and discussed how they cared for each other.
A blonde-haired woman, another actress, approached the couple in Smokey Row. There, she confronted her boyfriend and the two loudly revealed the premise of this situation.
That he’s cheating on her and that she invaded his privacy by tracking his phone to find him.
How did Iowans react when Sara Haines revealed Smokey Row scene was staged for TV?
Hidden cameras captured the faces of several patrons at Smokey Row who appeared to be paying attention to the scene unfolding.
Meanwhile, co-host Haines and crew watched this unfold via monitors, prepared to step in at any moment to reveal the truth.
A woman at Smokey Row approached the actress who was cheated on and provided her comfort, telling her that she is beautiful and that, “he’s not worth it.” That woman later confronted the boyfriend to support the actress.
After, Haines and crew stepped into the dining area of Smokey Row, revealing to the woman who intervened that this was all for a show.
“I’m from Iowa and born and raised and I love my people here,” Haines said. “You are amazing.”
The Newton native asked why the woman intervened.
“He was very publicly manipulating and humiliating her and making her feel like she was the one in the wrong,” she responded. “And you know, when a girl needs help.”
'What Would You Do?' flipped the script for take two in Des Moines
Then, “What Would You Do?” altered the premise of their scenario.
What if it was a man who tracked his girlfriend and discovered she was cheating?
That prompted one patron to inform the cheating girlfriend that if she’s been tracked, then that is a criminal offense.
Haines and the camera crew later introduced themselves to the patron, who told Haines that she is a lawyer who represents victims of domestic violence.
“She seemed threatened, and I wanted to make sure if she was threatened, it’s important for somebody who is a victim of domestic abuse to know that she’s supported,” the lawyer said, later adding, “If people don’t step in, then there is a risk that she keeps being injured.”
Drake Diner is also featured in ‘What Would You Do?’ What happens?
Like Smokey Row, Drake Diner in Des Moines also set the stage for a segment featured in the first episode of this season that aired on Feb. 18.
What would you do if you saw a woman being criticized for breastfeeding in public?
Well, several Drake Diner patrons came to the mother’s rescue, unbeknownst to them it was all fake.
In one instance of this situation, two men at different tables quickly spoke up to defend the mother, who was being criticized by a male actor.
“I’ve had a wife who’s had to feed and it’s tough,” one of the patrons told the actor.
He told Haines after she and the crew revealed they were with the show that his wife, mother and sister are “amazing.”
“It wasn’t the dad in me,” he said. “None of that was male. None of that was testosterone. That was just respect for the female energy.”
Haines called his response “beautiful.”
“That show that you’re in, it helps Americans,” the Drake Diner patron said. “‘You may be accountable.’”
How to watch Des Moines' episodes of 'What Would You Do?' on ABC.
You can watch season 16 of “What Would You Do?” on ABC (WOI Local 5 in Des Moines) or stream episodes on ABC.com. Episodes are also available for streaming on Hulu and Disney+.
The Drake Diner episode is featured in season 16, episode 1 and the Smokey Row scene is included in season 16, episode 3.
More: Disney+ is bundling with Hulu, cracking down on passwords: What you need to know
When do new episodes of ‘What Would You Do?’ air?
New episodes air on Sundays at 9 p.m. in Iowa.
Paris Barraza is a trending and general assignment reporter at the Des Moines Register. Reach her at pbarraza@registermedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @ParisBarraza.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Drake Diner, Smokey Row featured in ABC's 'What Would You Do?'
