Jimmy Fallon Addresses Trump Backlash, Says The Tonight Show Isn't a Political Platform

By: Shawn
‎Jimmy Fallon is steering The Tonight Show away from political controversy as public attention around late-night hosts continues to rise. During an appearance on CNBC’s Squawk on the Street, Fallon addressed the show's content strategy while promoting his new unscripted series On Brand. When asked about navigating political content in monologues, especially on an FCC-regulated network, Fallon highlighted a consistent comedic approach.
‎
‎Jimmy Fallon reaffirms The Tonight Show's non-political tone, focusing on humor over politics as he navigates past backlash and Trump-era scrutiny.
‎Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Images
‎
‎“Our show has never really been that political,” Fallon explained. “We hit both sides equally, and we try to make everybody laugh. That’s really the way our show works.” He pointed to the long-running tradition of The Tonight Show, maintaining that its tone and structure remain similar to the era of Johnny Carson. Fallon credited his team of writers, describing them as smart and creative, with a shared goal of producing a funny and widely appealing show.
‎
‎Fallon's commentary comes at a time when late-night hosts often face backlash for political content. His history with Donald Trump drew significant attention in 2016 after then-candidate Trump appeared on The Tonight Show. A segment during that episode, in which Fallon tousled Trump's hair, sparked criticism online for being overly playful with a controversial figure.
‎
‎In a later interview with The New York Times, Fallon clarified the intent behind the moment, saying it was meant to be humorous rather than flattering. “I didn’t do it to humanize him,” Fallon said. “I almost did it to minimize him.” The viral segment led to intense online criticism, prompting Fallon to temporarily step back from the internet.
‎
‎Despite the public reaction, Fallon stayed committed to the show’s comedic philosophy. “I don’t want to be bullied into not being me, and not doing what I think is funny,” he said. Negative social media feedback, he added, wouldn’t dictate the tone of The Tonight Show.
‎
‎Fallon has occasionally commented on broader media developments, including voicing support for fellow host Jimmy Kimmel after Jimmy Kimmel Live was temporarily pulled from ABC. During a monologue, Fallon acknowledged the situation without diving into political speculation. “I don’t know what’s going on,” he said. “And no one does. But I do know Jimmy Kimmel, and he’s a decent, funny and loving guy and I hope he comes back.”

MORE FROM THE HOLLYWOOD CRAVE

'Dancing With the Stars': Sharna Burgess Returns as Pro Dancer for Season 35

Image
‎Sharna Burgess is officially returning to the ballroom for season 35 of ‘Dancing With the Stars’. Her comeback was announced on Good Morning America on Monday, confirming her return to the professional dancer lineup for the upcoming season. ‎ Sharna Burgess is returning to ‘Dancing With the Stars’ as a professional dancer for season 35 after five years away. ‎Disney/Maarten de Boer ‎The new season will mark Burgess’ first appearance on the series in five years. Her most recent season was season 30 in 2021, when she was partnered with her fiancé Brian Austin Green. ‎ ‎Burgess has a long history with the competition. She has competed in 14 seasons of Dancing and famously won season 27 alongside Bobby Brown. Her return had been widely speculated in recent months after she took part in several Dancing-related events and appearances, including DWTS Con. ‎ ‎With Burgess now confirmed, she becomes the second professional dancer from season 35 to be officially announced. Witney Ca...
Read more

James Cameron Explains the 'Avatar: Fire and Ash' Scene That Shocked Fans — and Why He Wouldn't Cut It

Image
‎One particular moment in Avatar: Fire and Ash has sparked widespread discussion among critics and audiences alike — an intense, provocative encounter between the movie’s two main antagonists, Col. Miles Quaritch, portrayed by Stephen Lang, and Varang, the Ash People’s witch-queen played by Oona Chaplin. ‎ ‎James Cameron explains why the intense Quaritch–Varang scene in Avatar: Fire and Ash stands out, reveals it’s his favorite moment, and shares how Oona Chaplin won the role. ‎20th Century Studios/Courtesy Everett Collection ‎ ‎The scene, which carries a heavy mix of sensuality, hallucinogenic elements, and power-driven tension, is strikingly bold for the typically family-oriented Avatar franchise. Beyond its shock value, it stands out as one of the film’s most compelling and unpredictable sequences — and it may even be director James Cameron’s personal favorite. ‎ ‎During the moment, Quaritch enters Varang’s tent hoping to persuade the volatile leader of the Ash People to...
Read more

Jelly Roll Clarifies His Political Views and Regrets Staying Silent at the 2026 Grammys

Image
‎Jelly Roll is opening up about his political beliefs after months of avoiding the subject publicly. ‎ ‎The singer-songwriter addressed his views Thursday night on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, where he has been serving as guest host during Jimmy Kimmel’s summer hiatus. His comments came after jokes about Donald Trump in an earlier monologue sparked backlash from some conservatives. ‎ ‎Jelly Roll clarifies his political views, regrets not speaking up at the 2026 Grammys and urges people to focus on compassion. ‎Kevin Winter/Getty Images for The Recording Academy ‎Jelly Roll said the reaction to his appearance had caused people to make assumptions about where he stands politically. ‎ ‎“It is funny that before this week everybody thought I was MAGA. And now they think I’m some sort of liberal snowflake,” he said. “Hosting Jimmy Kimmel’s show doesn’t mean I have all of Jimmy Kimmel’s politics. Sure, I lean left on some things, but like most folks I’m pretty down the middle.” ‎ ‎He also ...
Read more

'The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power' Season 3 Premiere Date Confirmed for 2026

Image
‎Fans of Middle-earth now have an official return date for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 3. Amazon has confirmed that the highly anticipated new season will premiere on November 11, 2026, ending speculation that it would be delayed until 2027. ‎ ‎The announcement follows earlier reporting by The Hollywood Reporter and reinforces the series’ strong global performance on Prime Video. Amazon revealed that the show has reached “over 185 million viewers worldwide,” calling it “one of the highest performing and most-viewed titles ever on Prime Video, with a broad, highly engaged, global fan base.” ‎ ‎Rings of Power Season 3 premieres Nov 11, 2026 on Prime Video, set during War of the Elves and Sauron. ‎Prime Video ‎ ‎The fantasy series made an explosive debut, with Season 1 achieving the largest launch in Prime Video history within its first 91 days. Although Season 2 did not match that peak, it still secured the top spot on Nielsen’s Streaming Top 10 chart for...
Read more

Hayden Panettiere Dies at 36, Father Confirms: 'Heroes' and 'Nashville' Star Remembered

Image
‎Hayden Panettiere, the actress best known for her roles in Heroes and Nashville, has died at the age of 36, her father, Skip Panettiere, told ABC News on Sunday. ‎ ‎“It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden. She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her — and to the millions who watched her onscreen,” her father, Skip Panettiere, told ABC News in a statement. He also asked for privacy “as our family takes time to process this unimaginable loss.” ‎ Hayden Panettiere has died at 36, her father confirmed to ABC News, leaving behind a career spanning Heroes, Nashville and Scream. ‎Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images ‎ ‎The details around her death are unknown. ‎ ‎Panettiere's acting career included television, film and Lifetime projects. Her film credits included I Love You, Beth Cooper (2009), Scream 4 (2011) and Scream VI (2023), while she also starred in the 2011 Lifetim...
Read more

‎Mason Gooding and Emily Rudd to Star in Paramount’s 'Crawl' Sequel

Image
‎The gators are coming back. ‎ ‎Paramount is returning to the world of Crawl with a new survival thriller starring Mason Gooding and Emily Rudd. Alexandre Aja, who directed the original 2019 film, is also returning to direct the sequel. ‎ ‎Mason Gooding and Emily Rudd will star in Paramount’s ‘Crawl’ sequel, with Alexandre Aja returning to direct the new survival thriller. ‎Fabien Kruszelnicki/Courtesy of Netflix ‎ ‎The upcoming feature is scheduled to enter production later this month in Hungary. ‎ ‎‘Crawl’ Sequel Moves the Action to New York ‎ ‎While the original Crawl was set during a Category 5 hurricane in Florida, the new film will take its gator-filled survival story to New York. ‎ ‎The sequel, which has been in development since at least 2024, centers on a city where gators appear in the streets and sewers after a hurricane hits. ‎ ‎The 2019 movie starred Kaya Scodelario and Barry Pepper as a daughter and father who become trapped inside a Florida home while being h...
Read more

Mekai Curtis Explains Kanan’s Ending in 'Raising Kanan' and How It Leads Into 'Power: Origins'

Image
‎The series finale of Starz’s Power Book III: Raising Kanan closes another chapter in the Power franchise, but Mekai Curtis’ time as the younger Kanan Stark is not quite over. With Kanan already known to survive into the original Power series, the finale instead focuses on the experiences that shape the character before Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson’s era. ‎ ‎Mekai Curtis discusses Kanan’s emotional journey, Raq’s death and how the ‘Raising Kanan’ finale sets up ‘Power: Origins.’ ‎Starz ‎One of the biggest moments comes with the death of Raquel “Raq” Thomas (Patina Miller), who is shot and killed by Jukebox (Hailey Kilgore). Raq had served as a surrogate mother to Juke, but Jukebox ultimately sought revenge for her father’s murder at Kanan’s hands. ‎ ‎At a diner, Jukebox tells Kanan that she killed his mother in an effort to remove everyone who cares about him from his life. According to Curtis, Kanan’s reaction represents his growing understanding of everything he has experienc...
Read more

‎Nicholas Hoult Joins HBO’s 'Harry Potter' Series as 'Professor Gilderoy Lockhart' for Season 2

Image
HBO’s Harry Potter series has added Nicholas Hoult to its Season 2 cast, with the actor set to play Professor Gilderoy Lockhart. ‎ ‎Hoult, known for Superman and The Great, will portray Lockhart, who arrives at Hogwarts during Harry’s (Dominic McLaughlin) second year as the school’s new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. ‎ Nicholas Hoult joins HBO’s Harry Potter series as Professor Gilderoy Lockhart for Season 2, adapting Chamber of Secrets. ‎Neilson Barnard/Getty Images ‎The character plays a major role in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the second book in J.K. Rowling’s series and the source material for the show’s second season. Lockhart is famous throughout the wizarding world for his supposed heroic achievements. However, he is eventually exposed as a fraud who took credit for other people’s accomplishments after erasing portions of their memories. ‎ ‎Kenneth Branagh previously portrayed Gilderoy Lockhart in the 2002 film adaptation of Harry Potter and the...
Read more

'House of the Dragon' Season 3 Finale: Ryan Condal Explains Rhaenyra’s Big Book Change

Image
‎The Season 3 finale of House of the Dragon takes Rhaenyra Targaryen’s story in a direction that significantly differs from George R.R. Martin’s Fire and Blood. The biggest change comes when Rhaenyra publicly reveals the Song of Ice and Fire prophecy to the people of King’s Landing. ‎ ‎Ryan Condal explains why Rhaenyra’s prophecy reveal differs from Fire and Blood and teases a bigger final season. ‎HBO ‎Throughout the finale, Rhaenyra displays some major Daenerys parallels as her pursuit of power turns increasingly violent. She orders the immediate execution of a faith leader who has become a political rival. Although her wider rampage remains bloodless, the moment is still presented as deeply unsettling. ‎ ‎Her most significant action, however, comes when she stands before the masses of King’s Landing and declares that the White Walkers are coming and that only she can stop them as the prophesied Prince Who Was Promised. ‎ ‎That revelation is not found in Fire and Blood, t...
Read more

Netflix Renews The Walking Dead in $500 Million AMC Global Media Rights Deal

Image
‎Netflix has renewed The Walking Dead, agreeing to pay $500 million to AMC Global Media for five years of rights to the original zombie franchise and all of its spinoffs. ‎ ‎The agreement is co-exclusive, allowing the franchise to also stream on AMC+ beginning next year. ‎ ‎Netflix renews The Walking Dead with a $500 million, five-year deal covering the original series and all six spinoffs. ‎AMC ‎As part of the deal, the 371 episodes of the original series and its six spinoffs will stream on Netflix across the U.S., where the show has been available on DVD and online since 2011, as well as in the UK, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, and other new territories. ‎ ‎The announcement was made Thursday morning ahead of AMC Global Media's second-quarter earnings results. ‎ ‎The agreement covers the original The Walking Dead along with: ‎ • ‎Fear the Walking Dead ‎• ‎The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon ‎• ‎The Walking Dead: Dead City ‎• The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live ‎• ‎The Walki...
Read more