(NewsNation) — Katie Couric is raising awareness about colon cancer screenings by spoofing a controversial Sydney Sweeney ad.
The public service announcement begins with a close-up of Couric relaxing in a jean jacket. As the camera gradually zooms out, it reveals that she is also wearing a hospital gown while lying on a gurney, with medical professionals getting ready to perform her colonoscopy.
“Speaking of genes,” the former “Today” anchor says in the ad, “Did you know that the majority of people who develop colon cancer are not genetically predisposed to the disease? That’s why doctors recommend everyone 45 and older get checked.”
Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle campaign
The video mimics Sweeney’s American Eagle advertisement where she talks about how great her jeans are while wearing head-to-toe denim.
The American Eagle campaign sparked controversy over a tagline that critics said was laced with racial undertones.
Sydney Sweeney poses for photographs as she walks the red carpet at the premiere of “Christy” at the Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto on Friday, Sept. 5, 2025. (Arlyn McAdorey /The Canadian Press via AP) 
Katie Couric attends “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Cure Parkinson’s” gala benefiting The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. (Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)
In another ad, Sweeney is standing beside a billboard that reads, “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Genes.” She crosses out “genes” and replaces it with “jeans,” highlighting the brand’s signature denim.
As for Couric’s PSA, she explained why she decided to parody the “Euphoria” actress’ campaign.
“That ad showed how pop culture and a pair of jeans could really shape the cultural conversation … it was everywhere,” she told People magazine. “It was a moment in time, and we thought, ‘Why don’t we ride that horse a little bit longer and have some fun with it?’”
Katie Couric’s personal history with colon cancer
Couric has been a longtime advocate for people to get screened for colon cancer after she lost husband Jay Monahan to the disease in 1998.
In the campaign, a voiceover adds, “Katie Couric gets regular screenings. And if you’re 45 and older, you should too,” Couric says. “Mine are televised.”
In 2000, Couric received a live, on-air colon cancer screening on “Today.”
“Screening is something that people often put on the back burner. They don’t think about it or it’s not at the top of their to-do list,” she told People. “And it’s one of those things that honestly needs consistent reminding.”
According to the American Cancer Society, colon cancer is the second most common cause of cancer deaths in the U.S. The organization recommends adults get screened at 45 years old.