College Student Asks Keke Palmer Out on TikTok. She Replies (Exclusive)

A college student is going viral for boldly shooting his shot at a date with Keke Palmer.

On TikTok, Cole Smith shared a video explaining how he watched the actress on Hot Ones with Sean Evans. He noticed the playful flirting between the two, with Evans even admitting he had a crush on Palmer, 32.

As Smith watched the interview, he was surprised — especially since he assumed Palmer was married. That’s when he discovered she wasn’t, and the idea for him to shoot his shot on TikTok was born.

“I’m throwing my hat in the ring,” Smith says in his video.

“Sure, Sean Evans is a great guy, but wouldn’t you rather be with a college student that forgot to shave this morning? I mean look at that scruff,” the college student adds.

He goes on to give Palmer a few more humorous reasons to consider going out with him, joking that he even has Nutri-Grain bars she can offer him. He also adds that while he’s 11 years younger than her, that doesn’t matter to him.

“Just let me know, I have like Skype,” he quips.

Since posting, Smith’s video has gone viral, racking up over 13 million views and 12,000 comments.

“I mean……….Shooters gonna shoot……,” one person wrote.

“He called her ‘Ms. Keke Palmer.’ That’s respect,” another added.

A third commenter noted, “A polite and respectful offer🤣.”

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The video eventually reached the Nope actress, who stitched it on her own TikTok.

“How you doing young man?” Palmer asks in her response. “I heard all the nice things you said about me, and you’re so bold for doing so. I was kinda gagged when I found out I was 11 years older than you. That means when you were born, I was already winning spelling bees. That means, when you were learning how to talk, I was already jumping rope.”

“The point is, while I’m open for a little swirl or two…the truth is, I’m not ready to be a cougar, I’m not ready just yet,” she adds. “But if I was, you’d be the first one I was calling.”

Smith says at first he didn’t believe Palmer’s response was real. But when he finally released it was, he was shook.

“I started freaking out,” Smith tells PEOPLE exclusively. “Ms. Palmer is a legend for responding. Go see her new movie!”

PEOPLE has reached out to Palmer for comment.