Jimmy Fallon Doesn’t Know How To Read The Room

I’m also questioning why Fallon felt the need to bring Gutfeld on The Tonight Show. This is the same Fallon who voiced regret (and agitation) over that disastrous Trump appearance in a 2018 interview with THR’s Awards Chatter podcast.

“You go, ‘Alright, we get it. I heard you. You made me feel bad. So now what? Are you happy? I’m depressed. Do you want to push me more? What do you want me to do? You want me to kill myself? What would make you happy? Get over it.’” Fallon, seemingly catching himself, then added, “I’m sorry. I don’t want to make anyone angry — I never do and I never will. It’s all in the fun of the show. I made a mistake. I’m sorry if I made anyone mad. And, looking back, I would do it differently.”

Would he, though? You would think so, considering the cost of that halfhearted mea culpa. 

Fallon’s regret was, naturally, used as a cudgel by Trump, who told him on social media to “be a man.” Seven years later, and Fallon still occasionally comes into Trump’s crosshairs, such as in his recent Truth Social post where he celebrated Stephen Colbert’s firing and said Fallon (as well as Jimmy Kimmel) would soon follow. This is something he reiterated on Wednesday after wrapping up his weird rooftop mime routine. Another person celebrating Colbert’s firing? Greg Gutfeld on his show. Repeatedly. 

Maybe Fallon thinks the Gutfeld booking will spur leniency from Trump or indicate a willingness to be more both sides oriented in a marketplace almost fully leaned left. Maybe he’s listening to his predecessor, Jay Leno, who recently spoke about aiming for a whole audience, not a half audience in late night and the sin of alienating people by telling them your opinion (gasp).

Whatever the reason, it was an odd thing to see at this existential moment for late night comedy where it feels as though people’s ability to freely mock a president may be eroding.

I will acknowledge, happily, a certain pettiness and bias in what I’m writing here. I don’t like Jimmy Fallon’s brand of pre-chewed comedy or his fake-assed enthusiasm. He’s the human embodiment of the huskification of words like iconic and legendary. But I really don’t like Greg Gutfeld’s comedy, and I don’t really want to see right-wing pricks taking a victory lap on yet another platform. That it probably pleased Gutfeld to get a hit of that mainstream acceptance that right-leaning pundits crave is what annoys me most. 

Political sectarianism turns you inside out, I suppose. I have seen the Gutfeld’s of the world gingerly toss back enough liberal tears to know that it seems like a good time when people on the other team aren’t happy and I want a cup of that. While I have cheered the inclusion of more ideologically diverse guests on late night in the past, I’m really not in the mood right now considering the state of things.

These guys are getting enough Ws as their guy fucks the economy with tariffs, sets back medical research, dehumanizes trans people and immigrants, and infects every aspect of our lives with his ever present up-our-assesness and color commentary. This all while ignoring the rule of law. They don’t need Jimmy Fallon’s help to get their chuckles and sell their shit.