The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon is one of the hardest late night shows to watch because of Jimmy Fallon. His shtick is wearing thin; he seems tired, bored, and occasionally surly. No one’s watching his little show after he rumpled President Trump’s hair and maybe he wants a vacation. Watching a man drag his feet through a gig that reportedly pays him $13 to 15 million a year is boring, depressing, and BAD. Thats’s why watching Cardi B. toy with Jimmy for five minutes and change is such a delight.
Cardi was unabashedly herself and Jimmy didn’t quite know what to do with that. One imagines he’s heard “Bodak Yellow” at least once, all the way through, but from the way this interview goes, maybe he hasn’t? Even if he is an insufferable sycophant, he’s usually able to create a rapport with his guests; this time, he struggled. Is Cardi too much for Jimmy Fallon? Are her chirps, her trills, her extended “okurrrrrrrrrrs” anything he’s even experienced in real life? What’s so wonderful about this is that from Cardi’s first exaggerated shoulder shimmy about ten seconds in, you can tell: she’s got this. She’s in charge.
I know a five minute appearance on a late-night show isn’t a competition or a fight to the death, but I look at this and see the face of a woman who knows that she has already won.
Also fun: Erykah Badu and The Roots giving you an extended version of “On & On” followed by a cover of Fela Kuti’s “Sorrow Tears and Blood.” She’s wearing really incredible earrings, she looks fantastic and sounds phenomenal.
Nice of them to do this for Jimmy.
DISCUSSION
How is Fallon still winning (marginally) the 18-49 year old demo? The fact that he’s not even in first overall makes this even more bizarre. If anything you’d think older people would have just stayed with “The Tonight Show” out of brand loyalty - but they’ve seemingly all jumped ship and the younger people are watching him?! Why would younger people choose him? I am in my late thirties and I don’t understand what part of this demographic (that I am part of) would be his fans!? WHAT IS HIS APPEAL?! I honestly can’t see any.