Joe Jonas Joked That He And Frankie Jonas “Could Work Through Some Things” Two Years After He Apologized For Calling Him “Bonus Jonas” For Years

If you’ve been keeping up with the Jonas Brothers over the years, you might be aware of the past tension between the three band members — Nick, Joe, and Kevin — and their younger sibling, Frankie.

Kevin, Joe, and Nick, aged 35, 33, and 30 respectively, make up the band The Jonas Brothers. They were just teenagers when they shot to fame after starring on the Disney Channel, and since went on to pursue successful careers as individual artists before reuniting as a trio in 2019.

Frankie, 22, isn’t a part of the band and consequently grew up in the shadow of his brothers’ success — something that wound up taking a huge toll on him.

Opening up about his parents’ decision to pursue his elder siblings’ careers when he was a child, Frankie told Bustle in April 2021 that he felt like his future “slowly died.”

“It was a conversation — I don't remember it, but I've been told about it — regarding the fans of my brothers, who also had a similar kinship to me as this symbol, as this mascot. ‘Frankie could theoretically act. He could be in their shows. He can continue that legacy of that mascot-like character,’” he said.

Frankie also noted that he hated being nicknamed the “Bonus Jonas” by fans of the band, and then later by the Jonas Brothers themselves. “A lot of my problem with being in the public eye was that I was seen as this commodified vision of myself,” he said.

And Frankie went on to recall seeing several tweets making fun of him and labeling him the “forgotten” Jonas brother when he was just 12 years old.

“It became a form of self-harm to look at these things,” he said. “Then it became essentially an OCD, like a tic. I couldn’t stop. I checked it every day, and I had to, to feel OK in a way. It really became a serious issue for me. A lot of that perpetuated the idea that I was just this meme.”

“I was this joke, and my entire identity to people was ‘adjacent,’ which really affected myself and the way that I thought about the world and the way I felt about myself,” he added.

Shortly after Frankie opened up about his heartbreaking experience, Joe revealed that he privately apologized to him for calling him “Bonus Jonas” for years

“I refused to call Frankie ‘Bonus Jonas’ after he opened up to me about how that was hurtful to him,” he said.

“It completely makes sense,” he continued. “And we’ve had lengthy conversations and apologies behind closed doors that showcased my understanding and respect for his wishes.”

“I think to feel like you are second, third, or fourth-best from something is unfair,” he added. “We are all equals.”

In recent years, Frankie has gained a huge following of his own after becoming somewhat of a TikTok sensation — something that he said feels “empowering.”

“Everything that I talk about on TikTok... no one knew that that was how I speak, how I express myself, what I think is funny,” he said. “I was just making jokes, thinking no one was hearing them. And then people heard them and liked them. I thought, I’m going to continue to do this, because I’ve never had my thing really. This feels like so much of my thing. It feels so empowering to have a thing.”

As well as making music of his own now, too, Frankie often posts content poking fun at his older brothers. Last year, for example, he sent internet users into a frenzy after he and his girlfriend dressed up as Joe and his ex Taylor Swift for Halloween.

Fast forward to today, and Nick, Joe, and Kevin appeared on PopBuzz’s YouTube Channel last week to answer a series of “truths” Jenga style — and it wasn’t long before Frankie’s name was mentioned.

After Joe pulled out a Jenga block from the huge tower, he read aloud, “If you had to be stuck in an elevator for 24 hours with one of your brothers, who would you pick?” Almost instantly, he answered, “I feel like our youngest brother, Franklin.”

Kevin’s jaw immediately dropped when Joe mentioned Frankie’s name. But then, Joe went on to quip, “Could work through some things.”

At this point, Kevin burst out laughing, while Nick giggled along too — as did the crew members off-camera. Seconds later, Nick swiftly changed the subject as he went on to grab the next Jenga block in the game.

As soon as a clip of the exchange was shared across social media, fans began raising their eyebrows at Joe’s brief remark.

“there’s so much beef between Frankie and the other 3,” someone wrote on TikTok, before adding: “it’s not real but it’s funny.”

“I feel like that was shade to Frankie,” another person wrote.

“Kevin’s face indicated that there is Franklin related DRAMA,” someone suggested, while another person echoed, “oooooh Joe & Franklin have beeeeeeef.”

More on this

• Frankie Jonas Got Real About How He "Always Hated" Being Called "Bonus Jonas"Larry Fitzmaurice · April 23, 2021

• Joe, Nick, And Kevin Jonas Apologized To Frankie For Calling Him The "Bonus Jonas" For All These YearsJoyann Jeffrey · April 25, 2021

• “I Was So Jealous, I Cried My Eyes Out”: The Jonas Brothers Opened Up About Losing Jobs To Each OtherLauren Garafano · May 23, 2023