Jimmy Fallon is a mensch.
The goofy, laid-back comedian, who helms “The Tonight Show,” might be the only corporate late-night host who managed to survive the first Trump era without morphing into an insufferable scold — and without getting himself completely cancelled by the left. The same cannot be said of Stephen Colbert, whose show was recently cancelled (by Paramount executives, not woke activists) due to its declining ratings and money-draining production costs.
In a surprising move Thursday night, Fallon hosted Fox News star Greg Gutfeld. Considering that Gutfeld is a conservative and Fallon’s competitor, and that 95% of the “Tonight Show” audience are probably liberals or registered Democrats, the crossover decision seemed odd. Gutfeld stands atop the late-night ratings hill as king. And surely, there were people in the audience who wanted political fireworks and grating questions from Fallon on why Gutfeld would support a fascist like Donald Trump.
However, the choice paid off and made for great television. The two comedians shared a conversation that was lighthearted and entertaining — and, refreshingly, non-political.
🚨 .@greggutfeld and @jimmyfallon had a cordial, fun time during the Fox News host’s unlikely appearance on “The Tonight Show.”
Goes to show that politics doesn’t have to dominate late night television or ruin friendships. @DailyCaller pic.twitter.com/UcIqUwYn5e
— Nicole Silverio (@NicoleMSilverio) August 8, 2025
Liberals upset by Colbert’s firing may see Fallon’s interview as a ploy to win over conservative audiences. Or, perhaps, they see it as a way to suck up to Donald Trump by hosting one of Fox’s biggest stars, even though Fallon still needles the president quite often. After all, Democrats and liberals have claimed that Colbert was canned because he was too critical of Trump.
I, for one, will not start watching “The Tonight Show” just because Fallon sat down with a conservative. But I do, and always have, admired Fallon for his easygoing nature and focus on being a comedian appealing to everyone, not a political activist catering to a fringe.
During the 2016 presidential campaign, Fallon wasn’t treating Trump like a looming dictator. He treated him like a human, and hosted the then-candidate in September of 2016. At one point in the interview, Fallon tousled Trump’s hair like a kid, producing a hilarious moment. But, of course, liberals hated the way he handled the Trump interview: Fallon wasn’t tough enough on such a “dangerous” political figure.
The Trump outrage actually cost the host one-fifth of his show’s audience, according to The Associated Press. Meanwhile, Colbert’s more political show was thriving at the time.
Fallon said in a 2018 interview that the backlash had taken a toll on him mentally; however, he didn’t grovel or beg for his sensitive audience members to return to the fold.
“It’s tough for morale,” he told the Hollywood Reporter. “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.’”
He also hinted at the latent power of cancel culture, describing it as online “gang-mentality,” which at that point was only beginning to gain steam.
“People just jump on the train, and some people don’t even want to hear anything else. They’re like, ‘No, you did that!’ You go, ‘Well, just calm down and just look at the whole thing and actually see my body of work,’” Fallon said.
You don’t need to be a fan of “The Tonight Show” to recognize that Fallon isn’t cut from the same cloth as Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, and other mainstream liberal entertainers who are angry and obsessed with Trump. Again, Fallon pokes fun at the Trump administration and MAGA, but he’s not irate. He does not scream f-bombs into the void, as Colbert did recently during segments on Trump and RFK, Jr.
Stephen Colbert angrily attacks Sec. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. for cutting millions in funding to mRNA shots
“F*k you, you roid-addled nepo-carnie” pic.twitter.com/768jR2gxD7
— Unlimited L’s (@unlimited_ls) August 7, 2025
A liberal in 2025 can’t be agreeable. They can’t be too goofy or silly, or treat MAGA supporters as human beings. They can’t be like Jimmy Fallon, who leans into these qualities — qualities that we can all strive to emulate, whether liberal or conservative. The far left and even much of the normal left won’t allow it. They’re in constant ‘resistance’ to Trump. If you are a liberal celebrity not obsessed with saving American democracy, good luck: You might pay for it.
Fallon did, and that’s a shame.