Editing Jimmy Fallon (section)

==Career==
===Comedy beginnings===
Fallon dropped out of the College of Saint Rose in 1995 to move to [[Los Angeles]] and pursue comedy full-time.<ref name="UPI.com">{{cite news|url=https://www.upi.com/Entertainment_News/2009/05/09/Jimmy-Fallon-gets-belated-BA/UPI-84721241913501/|title= Jimmy Fallon gets belated B.A.|date=April 9, 2009|work=United Press International|access-date=February 10, 2012}}</ref> He secured a manager and got bookings by the age of 21.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}} He often did stand-up at the Improv, earning $7.50 per set,<ref name="NYMagazine"/> and he joined classes with the [[Groundlings]], an [[improv comedy]] troupe.<ref name="usa04"/> He appeared in the feature film ''The Scheme'' (originally entitled ''The Entrepreneurs''). His one line in the 1997 film ''[[Fathers' Day (1997 film)|Father's Day]]'' was cut, but he can still be seen in the background. In 1998, Fallon appeared briefly on the show ''[[Spin City]]'' in the second season as a man selling photographs.<ref name="Fame10Fallon">{{cite news|last1=Sheldon|first1=James|title=10 Things You Didn't Know About Jimmy Fallon|url=https://www.fame10.com/entertainment/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-jimmy-fallon/|access-date=April 2, 2018|work=Fame10|date=November 2, 2015}}</ref>

He remained fixated on joining ''Saturday Night Live''. After two years of working with the Groundlings,<ref name="paper">{{cite magazine|first=Jonathan|last=Durbin|title=A Man for All Reasons: Jimmy Fallon|url=http://www.papermag.com/2001/11/a_man_for_all_reasons_jimmy_fallon.php|date=November 1, 2001|magazine=[[Paper (magazine)|Paper]]|access-date=February 25, 2015|archive-date=November 5, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151105035543/http://www.papermag.com/2001/11/a_man_for_all_reasons_jimmy_fallon.php|url-status=dead}}</ref> he auditioned for the program in 1997 but was unsuccessful.<ref name="usa04"/> When he was cast in a [[pilot episode|pilot presentation]] for [[The WB]], Fallon made sure to include a clause in his contract specifying that if he were to join ''SNL'' he would be released from his contract.<ref name=rs/> His manager sent videotapes to Marci Klein and Ayala Cohen, producers for ''SNL''.<ref name="nytaudition"/>

{{blockquote|This was my ultimate goal. If I ever cut into a birthday cake and made a wish, I would wish to be on ''SNL''. If I threw a coin into a fountain, I would wish to be on ''SNL''. If I saw a shooting star, I would wish to be on ''SNL''.<ref name="nytaudition"/>&nbsp;... I remember saying to myself, 'If I don't make it on [the show] before I'm 25, I'm going to kill myself.' It's crazy. I had no other plan. I didn't have friends, I didn't have a girlfriend, I didn't have anything going on. I had my career, that was it.<ref name=rs/>}}

Fallon landed his second audition at the age of 23. At the "notoriously difficult audition,"<ref name="VF1"/> he was told by several people that creator [[Lorne Michaels]] almost never laughed during auditions. He feared being outshined by the comic before him, who came armed with an arsenal of props. Despite this, Fallon went onstage and did well,<ref name="nytaudition"/> performing a "celebrity walk-a-thon" with impressions of [[Jerry Seinfeld]], [[Chris Rock]], [[Bill Cosby]], and [[Adam Sandler]], an ''SNL'' alumnus who had recently left the show.<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Shirley|last=Brady|title=JIMMY FALLON|magazine=[[People (magazine)|People]]|publisher=[[Meredith Corporation]]|location=New York City|date=July 10, 2000|volume=54|issue=2|page=78}}</ref> Michaels and others laughed.<ref name="people">{{cite magazine|first=Janine|last=Rubenstein|title=Jimmy Fallon and More SNL Stars Share Their Scary Audition Stories|url=https://www.people.com/article/jimmy-fallon-saturday-night-live-audition-story|magazine=[[People (magazine)|People]]|publisher=[[Meredith Corporation]]|location=New York City|date=February 4, 2015|access-date=February 25, 2015}}</ref>

Head writer [[Tina Fey]], who was in the room, later said, "He's one of two people I've ever seen who was completely ready to be on the show. [[Kristen Wiig]] is the other one.... And Jimmy was ready—like, if there had been a show to do that night."<ref name="VF1">{{cite news|title=Jimmy Fallon: Lorne Michaels Advised Me on Who to Date (and Not Marry)|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2014/01/jimmy-fallon-lorne-michaels-advised-me-on-who-to-date-and-not-marry|date=January 7, 2014|magazine=[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]|access-date=February 25, 2015}}</ref> He rushed through his original characters in order to arrive at his musical impressions, which he felt were stronger. Three weeks passed, and despite his feeling that he had not gotten the position, he was asked to meet with Michaels at the [[Paramount Pictures|Paramount]] lot in Los Angeles. Michaels informed him that they wanted him for the show, and Fallon characterized the moment as being in "slow motion", remarking to Michaels before he left, "I'm going to make you proud."<ref name="nytaudition">{{cite news|first=Dave|last=Itzkoff|author-link=Dave Itzkoff|title=Extended Interview with Jimmy Fallon |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/25/arts/television/jimmy-fallon-snl-audition-interview.html |newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|location=New York City|date=August 22, 2013|access-date=February 25, 2015}}</ref>

===''Saturday Night Live'' years===
====Early seasons (1998–2000)====
[[File:FeverPitch2004 (cropped).jpg|thumb|Fallon in 2004]]
Fallon debuted on ''Saturday Night Live'' as a featured player at the beginning of the show's [[Saturday Night Live (season 24)|twenty-fourth season]] in September 1998.<ref>No byline (August 29, 2002), "Jimmy Fallon is here on MTV, there on 'SNL' and ...." ''USA Today''.</ref> He became a star by his fourth episode, when he performed [[Halloween]]-themed versions of songs by popular artists, as well as his Sandler impression.<ref name=rs/> Fallon became a celebrity, considered charming by his largely female fan-base, receiving numerous letters from fans, and becoming the subject of numerous fan-sites.<ref name="NYMagazine"/> He became the program's most featured mimic, doing popular impressions of [[Robert De Niro]], Jerry Seinfeld, and [[Howard Stern]]. He also starred as many original characters, including [[Nick Burns (character)|Nick Burns]], an [[IT support]] nerd, Pat "Sully" Sullivan, one of the [[The Boston Teens|Boston Teens]] with [[Rachel Dratch]], and in [[Recurring Saturday Night Live characters and sketches introduced 2000–2001#Jarret's Room|Jarret's Room]], a fictional [[webcast]] hosted by [[Stoner (drug user)|stoner]] college students Jarret (Fallon) and Gobi ([[Horatio Sanz]]). He was promoted to repertory player in his second season.<ref name="NYMagazine"/>

In his off-time, Fallon released a book comprising e-mail exchanges with his sister Gloria, titled ''I Hate This Place: A Pessimist's Guide to Life'' (1999), and played a minor role in the film ''[[Almost Famous]]'' (2000).<ref name="NYMagazine"/> During their time at ''SNL'', Fallon and Horatio Sanz often drank together. Sanz has described himself and Fallon as "super-functioning alcoholics", and said, "They say that kind of goes hand-in-hand with ''SNL'', some kind of substance-abuse issues, because it's so stressful you easily find yourself blowing off steam a lot."<ref name="vul2014"/> On one occasion, they spent a Friday night watching [[The Strokes]] perform a midnight show, staying up drinking until the early morning, despite having to do ''SNL'' that night.<ref name="39vul">{{cite news|url=https://www.vulture.com/2014/02/jimmy-fallon-tonight-show-host-hang-out-things-you-learn.html|title=39 Things You Learn About Jimmy Fallon by Hanging Out With Him|author= Jada Yuan|date=February 18, 2014|website=[[Vulture (blog)|Vulture]]|publisher=[[New York (magazine)|New York]]|access-date=May 5, 2015}}</ref> "We actually took what we thought being on ''SNL'' was, what people think is awesome about it, and we made it happen," said Sanz,<ref name="39vul"/> who said that he and Fallon got in more than a few bar fights.<ref name="vul2014"/>

====Later years (2001–2004)====
Fallon initially planned to spend three years at ''SNL'', like [[John Belushi]], but he was persuaded to stay on for three more when given the reins to ''[[Weekend Update]]''.<ref name="vul2014">{{cite news|url=https://www.vulture.com/2014/01/jimmy-fallon-tonight-show-interview.html|title=Last Night With Jimmy Fallon: Into the Wee Hours With the Heir to TV's Grandest Franchise|author= Jada Yuan|date=February 2, 2014|website=[[Vulture (blog)|Vulture]]|publisher=[[New York (magazine)|New York]]|access-date=May 5, 2015}}</ref><ref>Wolk, Josh (October 13, 2000), "2 'LIVE' CREW". ''Entertainment Weekly''. (563):11</ref> His co-hosting of ''Weekend Update'' with writer [[Tina Fey]] further increased his profile.<ref name="spin02"/> During this tenure, he formed a close relationship with Michaels, whom he'd consult on dating, career advice, and more.<ref name="VF1"/> Fallon called a December 2001 sketch, in which he imitates [[Rolling Stones]] frontman [[Mick Jagger]] in a mirror opposite Jagger, his favorite thing he had done up to that point.<ref name="spin02">{{cite book|author=Sia Michel|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w8s9P_S6njMC&q=jimmy+fallon&pg=PA72|title=Fallon Comes Alive|publisher=[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]|pages=70–76|volume=18|issue=3|date=March 2002 |access-date=February 25, 2015}}</ref>

In his later years on ''SNL'', Fallon co-starred in a skit, "''[[The Barry Gibb Talk Show]]",'' in which he and musician [[Justin Timberlake]] portrayed [[Bee Gees]] brothers [[Barry Gibb|Barry]] and [[Robin Gibb]]. It marked the beginning of a long-running friendship and collaboration with Timberlake.<ref name="timberlake">{{cite news|title=History of a Bromance: Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake|url=https://www.gq.com/blogs/the-feed/2013/12/jimmy-fallon-justin-timberlake-bromance.html|date=December 20, 2013|author=Tara Wanda Merrigan|work=[[GQ (magazine)|GQ]]|access-date=February 25, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150210021804/http://www.gq.com/blogs/the-feed/2013/12/jimmy-fallon-justin-timberlake-bromance.html|archive-date=February 10, 2015}}</ref>

Fallon became known for his tendency to [[Breaking character|break character]] in sketches, an attribute he, as well as Michaels, disliked.<ref name="GQ"/> It began in the famous "[[More Cowbell]]" sketch, when [[Will Ferrell]] wore a tighter shirt than expected, causing Fallon to crack up. After this, other cast members would try to get Fallon to break.<ref name=rs/> Some cast members believed he was attempting to steal the moment, to make the sketch about himself. The joke became near-constant during Fallon's final year on the show.<ref name=rs/> During this time, Fallon parlayed his ''SNL'' success into co-hosting the [[2001 MTV Movie Awards]]<ref>Souter, Ericka (June 11, 2001), "talking with...Jimmy Fallon." ''People''. '''55''' (23):28</ref> and [[2002 MTV Video Music Awards]],<ref name=MTVVA>Soriano, Cesar G. (July 23, 2002), "Fallon: He's a 'kinder, gentler' MTV awards host." ''USA Today''</ref> and recording his debut comedy album, ''[[The Bathroom Wall]]'' (2002), which was nominated for the [[Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album]]. He also modeled for [[Calvin Klein]].<ref name="paper"/> Fallon was named one of ''[[People (magazine)|People]]'' magazine's [[50 Most Beautiful People]] in 2002, an honor Fallon found embarrassing.<ref>No byline (May 13, 2002), "Jimmy Fallon." ''People''. '''57''' (18):173</ref>

Fallon appeared in [[blackface]] in a 2000 episode of ''Saturday Night Live'', impersonating Chris Rock.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Caleb Howe |title=Lester Holt Dressed up as a Woman in 'Whiteface,' Fallon In Blackface, What Exactly is NBC's Policy? |url=https://www.mediaite.com/online/lester-holt-dressed-up-as-a-woman-in-whiteface-fallon-in-blackface-what-exactly-is-nbcs-policy/ |access-date=February 10, 2019 |work=[[Mediaite]] |date=October 29, 2018 |quote=there are videos out there of Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon, both of whom work for major networks, doing exactly that. Fallon, in fact, works for NBC now, and the videos show him doing so originally aired on that network}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Joseph A. Wulfsohn |title=Kimmel, Fallon avoid Ralph Northam controversy in late-night monologues; both have histories using blackface in skits |url=https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/kimmel-fallon-avoid-ralph-northam-controversy-in-monologues-both-have-histories-using-blackface-in-skits |access-date=February 10, 2019 |work=[[Fox News]] |date=February 5, 2019 |quote=Fallon also appeared in blackface during his days on "Saturday Night Live," impersonating Chris Rock in a sketch.}}</ref> After the sketch resurfaced online 20 years later, Fallon issued a [[Twitter|tweet]] apologizing for an "unquestionably offensive decision".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Harrison|first1=Ellie|title=Jimmy Fallon apologized after a 2000 clip of him wearing blackface on 'SNL' resurfaced |url=https://www.insider.com/jimmy-fallon-apologizes-after-2000-blackface-skit-resurfaces-2020-5 |access-date=February 12, 2023 |work=[[The Independent]] |date=May 27, 2020}}</ref>

===Film career (2004–2008)===
[[File:Jimmy Fallon (cropped).jpg|left|thumb|Fallon in 2007]]
Fallon began to pursue a film career in 2004. He had spurned most major roles due to lack of time and disinterest in the dozens of scripts he read.<ref name="usa04"/> He signed on for his first lead role in ''[[Taxi (2004 film)|Taxi]]'', a remake of a French film, after co-star [[Queen Latifah]] became attached to the project. He was also attracted to the film's [[action comedy film|action comedy]] tone, seeing comparisons with ''SNL'' alumnus [[Eddie Murphy]]'s first big film, ''[[48 Hrs.]]'' (1982).<ref name="IGN">{{cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2004/10/07/interview-jimmy-fallon |title=Interview: Jimmy Fallon|author=Steve Head|date=October 7, 2004|website=[[IGN]] |access-date=May 5, 2015}}</ref>

In the fall of 2003, he split his time between shooting the film in Los Angeles and returning to New York City for ''SNL''.<ref name="usa04"/> With his contract ending, his sixth season at ''SNL'' was his last; Fallon signed off at the conclusion of the show's [[Saturday Night Live (season 29)|twenty-ninth season]] in May 2004.<ref name="people1">{{cite news |author=Stephen M. Silverman |author-link=Stephen M. Silverman |date=May 17, 2004 |title=Jimmy Fallon Signs Off from SNL For Good |work=[[People (magazine)|People]] |url=http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,638549,00.html |access-date=February 25, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080326162005/https://people.com/people/article/0,,638549,00.html |archive-date=March 26, 2008}}</ref>

With big expectations from the studio, ''Taxi'' premiered in the fall of 2004. A flop with critics and audiences, it was Fallon's first failure.<ref name=rs/> [[20th Century Fox]] had already signed him for his second major role, starring opposite [[Drew Barrymore]] in the 2005 [[romantic comedy]] ''[[Fever Pitch (2005 film)|Fever Pitch]]''.<ref name="usa04"/> ''Fever Pitch'' fared little better than ''Taxi'', receiving mild reviews and tepid box office returns.<ref name="ew"/> He met his wife, producer Nancy Juvonen, during production of the film, and the two wed in December 2007.

Fallon began receiving fewer film offers. He had entered what he has called a "lost period", drinking more alcohol and beset by confusion over his next career moves.<ref name="VF"/> Fallon moved back east to New York, spending "a couple of years aimlessly knocking around."<ref name="vul2014" /> He wrote a screenplay during this time "about a guy in a goth band who has to pretend to be a country-music star."<ref name="rs" />

Before leaving ''SNL'', Michaels had told Fallon that he would be a good fit to take over NBC's ''[[Late Night (NBC)|Late Night]]'' franchise when then-host [[Conan O'Brien]] left for ''[[The Tonight Show]]''. Michaels urged NBC to give Fallon a holding deal in February 2007 so that he could not be lured elsewhere.<ref name="ew">{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/article/2009/03/02/jimmy-fallon-king-late-night/|title=Jimmy Fallon: The New King of ''Late Night''|author=Tim Stack|date=March 2, 2009|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |access-date=June 16, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090426002207/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0%2C%2C20262336_2%2C00.html|archive-date=April 26, 2009|url-status=live}}</ref>

To prepare for the role of a late-night host, Fallon toured college campuses and comedy clubs for eight months, where he tested out a new 50-minute routine.<ref name="ct">{{cite news|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2009/03/02/jimmyfallon-wants-you-to-follow-him/|title=Jimmy Fallon: Host for a Twittering society|first=Kevin|last=Pang |date=March 2, 2009|newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]]|access-date= June 16, 2012}}</ref> He also began watching the comedy of [[Chevy Chase]], [[Dick Cavett]], and [[Johnny Carson]], as well as ''[[The Larry Sanders Show]]''.<ref name=rs/> In May 2008, Fallon was announced as the successor to O'Brien's ''Late Night''.<ref>{{cite web|last=Greppi|first=Michele|url=http://www.tvweek.com/news/2008/05/jimmy_fallon_headed_to_nbc_lat.php|title=Jimmy Fallon Headed to NBC 'Late Night'|work=TVWeek|access-date=April 16, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130728163156/http://www.tvweek.com/news/2008/05/jimmy_fallon_headed_to_nbc_lat.php|archive-date=July 28, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Jimmy Fallon to succeed Conan on NBC talk show|work=Los Angeles Times|date=April 25, 2008|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/tv/la-et-fallon-conan-nbc25apr25,1,4145164.story|access-date=April 25, 2008 |first=Television|last=Critic|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080430043258/http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/tv/la-et-fallon-conan-nbc25apr25%2C1%2C4145164.story |archive-date=April 30, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/jimmy-fallon-cinches-conans-job|title=Jimmy Fallon Cinches Conan's Job|date=April 24, 2008|publisher=Fox News Channel}}</ref>

Fallon was considered an odd choice for the job, both by executives at NBC (who "hated" the idea and predicted it to be a failure) and among the general public. This was alluded to in an early promo for the series: "You loved him on ''SNL''! You hated him in the movies! Now you're ambivalent."<ref name="GQ">{{cite news|url=https://www.gq.com/style/wear-it-now/201304/jimmy-fallon-interview-gq-april-2013|title=Jimmy Fallon: The New King of Late Night TV|author= Jeanne Marrie Laskas|date=March 2013|work=[[GQ (magazine)|GQ]]|access-date=May 5, 2015}}</ref><ref name="NYM">{{cite news|url=https://nymag.com/arts/tv/profiles/69366|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101111140050/http://nymag.com/arts/tv/profiles/69366/|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 11, 2010|title=Mr. Sunshine|author=Adam Sternbergh|date=November 7, 2010|work=[[New York (magazine)|New York]]|access-date=May 5, 2015}}</ref>

===Back to television and ''Late Night'' (2009–2013)===
[[File:Barack Obama on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon in 2012.jpg|thumb|[[Late Night with Jimmy Fallon|''Late Night'']]'s Fallon (left) interviews President [[Barack Obama]] on the campus of [[UNC at Chapel Hill]] in April 2012.]]
''[[Late Night with Jimmy Fallon]]'' premiered in March 2009 to mixed reviews. Producer Michael Shoemaker felt that the show's style solidified when it used [[Susan Boyle]] as a joke. While other late-night programs had centered on her appearance, Fallon's ''Late Night'' debuted a sketch in which Boyle's emotional performances could "salve any affliction."<ref name="NYM"/> It was this style of humor, that Adam Sternbergh of ''[[New York (magazine)|New York]]'' dubbed "the comedy of unabashed celebration," that led to the program's success.<ref name="NYM"/>

Fallon proved himself different from other late-night hosts, with more of a reliance on music, dancing, impersonations, and games.<ref name=rs>{{cite journal| author=Brian Hiatt| date =January 20, 2011| title =Jimmy Fallon's Big Adventure|journal=[[Rolling Stone (magazine)|Rolling Stone]] |issue=1122|publisher=[[Jann Wenner|Wenner Media]] [[Limited liability company|LLC]]|location=New York City|issn=0035-791X|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/jimmy-fallons-big-adventure-20110120|access-date=May 5, 2015}}</ref> Between his own musical sensibilities and the recruitment of his [[house band]], hip-hop collective [[The Roots]], Fallon's incarnation of ''Late Night'' "evolved into the most deeply musical of TV's musical-comedy variety programs," with sketches in which he parodies [[Neil Young]] and [[Bruce Springsteen]] going viral online.

Fallon's show found its footing in 2010, during [[2010 Tonight Show conflict|''The Tonight Show'' debacle]].<ref name="VF"/> The program embraced [[social media]] and the Internet, and online interaction and its presence on the show became crucial to its success.<ref name="nyt1">{{cite news |last=Carter |first=Bill |date=September 9, 2011 |title=No More Desk Potatoes? |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/11/arts/television/late-night-tv-shows-face-a-difficult-future.html |access-date=June 16, 2012}}</ref> In 2010, the show scored its first viral clip: Fallon and Timberlake performing a "[[History of Rap]]."<ref name="NYM" />

Fallon also hosted the [[62nd Primetime Emmy Awards]] in 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tvguide.com/News/Jimmy-Fallon-Emmys-1018064.aspx|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100508113033/http://www.tvguide.com/News/Jimmy-Fallon-Emmys-1018064.aspx|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 8, 2010|title=Jimmy Fallon to Host Primetime Emmys|work=TV Guide}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2010/08/jimmy-fallon-and-a-host-of-new-winners-keep-emmy-viewership-from-falling.html|work=Los Angeles Times|title=Jimmy Fallon and a host of new winners keep Emmy viewership from falling|date=August 30, 2010}}</ref> In 2012, Fallon released his second comedy album, ''[[Blow Your Pants Off]]'', which compiles many of his musical performances on ''Late Night''.<ref>{{cite web|last=Bell|first=Josh|title=Jimmy Fallon Blow Your Pants Off album review |url=http://www.thespittake.com/2012/06/12/jimmy-fallon-blow-your-pants-off-warner-brothers/ |publisher=The Spit Take|access-date=April 9, 2013}}</ref> The album won a Grammy in 2013 for [[Best Comedy Album]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.americansongwriter.com/2012/06/cover-story-jimmy-fallon-and-the-rise-of-tebowie|title=Cover Story: Jimmy Fallon And The Rise Of Tebowie|work=American Songwriter|date=October 22, 2019}}</ref> Discussions for Fallon to take over ''The Tonight Show'' began in early 2013.<ref name="NYT1">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/21/business/media/tonight-show-expected-to-return-to-new-york-with-fallon.html|title=''Tonight'', With New Host, Set to Reclaim Its New York Roots|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=March 20, 2013 |author=Bill Carter|access-date=February 18, 2014}}</ref>

{{as of|2013|August|}}, Fallon was earning a salary of $11 million a year for his work on ''Late Night''.<ref>Battaglio, Stephen; Schneider, Michael (August 26, 2013). "What They Earn." ''[[TV Guide]]'', pp. 16–20.</ref>

===''The Tonight Show'' (2014–present)===
{{Main|The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon}}
On April 3, 2013, following a period of speculation, NBC announced that Fallon would succeed [[Jay Leno]], following the [[2014 Winter Olympics]], to become the sixth permanent host of ''[[The Tonight Show]]''.<ref name="macleans-fallontonight">{{cite web|title=Hello, Jimmy Fallon, and Hello, New York City|url=http://www.macleans.ca/2013/04/03/hello-jimmy-fallon-and-hello-new-york-city|work=Maclean's|date=April 3, 2013|access-date=April 3, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Leora|first=Arnowitz |title=Jay Leno leaving 'The Tonight Show,' Jimmy Fallon taking over in 2014 |url=http://adamnowlin.com/jimmy-fallon-to-replace-jay-leno-on-the-tonight-show|publisher=Fox News Channel|access-date=April 3, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130717083648/http://adamnowlin.com/jimmy-fallon-to-replace-jay-leno-on-the-tonight-show/ |archive-date=July 17, 2013}}</ref> Fallon and Leno sang a parody of the song "[[Tonight (1956 song)|Tonight]]" about ''The Tonight Show'' together. Fallon's ''Tonight Show'' debut on February 17, 2014, on NBC's network engaged 11.3 million viewers.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-jimmyfallon-ratings/jimmy-fallons-tonight-show-debut-draws-11-3-million-viewers-idUSBREA1H1ZY20140218 |title=Jimmy Fallon's 'Tonight Show' debut draws 11.3 million viewers|date=February 18, 2014|work=[[Reuters]]|access-date=September 27, 2017}}</ref>

Fallon's third book, ''Your Baby's First Word Will Be Dada'', a children's book, was released in June 2015.<ref name="NPR Interview">{{cite web|title=If Jimmy Fallon Gets His Way, 'Your Baby's First Word Will Be Dada'|url=https://www.npr.org/2015/06/09/412878200/if-jimmy-fallon-gets-his-way-your-babys-first-word-will-be-dada|publisher=[[NPR]]|access-date=July 27, 2015|date=June 9, 2015}}</ref><ref name="McClurg">{{cite news|last1=McClurg|first1=Jocelyn|title=Fallon's kids' book 'Dada' is a hit|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/books/2015/06/17/jimmy-fallon-your-babys-first-word-will-be-dada-usa-today-best-selling-books/28821165/|access-date=July 27, 2015|work=USA Today|date=June 17, 2015}}</ref>

On September 15, 2016, Fallon hosted [[Donald Trump]] on ''The Tonight Show'' during the [[2016 United States presidential election|United States presidential election]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2016/09/the-embarrassment-of-jimmy-fallon-by-donald-trump/500354/|title=The Embarrassment of Jimmy Fallon by Donald Trump |last=Sims|first=David|date=September 16, 2016|website=The Atlantic|access-date=September 16, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/elections-2016-late-night-tv-donald-trump-jimmy-fallon-mess-up-hair|title=Donald Trump lets Jimmy Fallon mess up his hair on late-night TV|website=CBS News|date=September 16, 2016 |access-date=September 16, 2016}}</ref> Following the appearance, Fallon was criticized by some media critics and viewers on social media for the uncontroversial questions he asked of Trump.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2016/biz/news/donald-trump-jimmy-fallon-1201862191|title=Jimmy Fallon Messes With Donald Trump's Hair in 'Tonight Show' Appearance |last=Johnson|first=Ted|date=September 16, 2016|website=Variety.com|language=en-US|access-date=September 16, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/twitter-users-criticize-jimmy-fallon-929513|title=Twitter Users Criticize Jimmy Fallon for Not Being Tougher on Donald Trump|last=Konerman|first=Jennifer|date=September 15, 2016|work=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=September 16, 2016}}</ref> David Sims, writing in ''[[The Atlantic]]'', called the interview an "embarrassment".<ref name=":0"/> In response to the criticism, Fallon said to [[TMZ]]: "Have you seen my show? I'm never too hard on anyone. We'll have Hillary [Clinton] on tomorrow, and we'll do something fun with her too."<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.ew.com/article/2016/09/19/donald-trump-jimmy-fallon-responds-criticism|title=Jimmy Fallon responds to criticism of Donald Trump interview|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]}}</ref> Fallon apologized in March 2017 for the interview, saying "I didn't do it to humanize him. I almost did it to minimize him. I didn't think that would be a compliment&nbsp;... After this happened, I was devastated. I didn't mean anything by it. I was just trying to have fun."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Andrews |first1=Travis |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2017/05/18/jimmy-fallon-says-people-have-a-right-to-be-mad-at-his-friendly-hair-tousling-of-trump/ |title=Jimmy Fallon says people 'have a right to be mad' at his friendly hair-tousling of Trump}}</ref> He again apologized for the interview in June 2018 on a podcast with ''[[The Hollywood Reporter]]'', saying that he "made a mistake" and added "I did not do it to 'normalize' him or to say I believe in his political beliefs or any of that stuff."<ref>{{cite news |title="I Did Not Do It To 'Normalize' Him": Fallon Reveals Personal Pain Following Trump Fallout |url=https://www.nbcsandiego.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/Fallon-Reveals-Personal-Pain-Following-Trump-Fallout-486146971.html |publisher=NBC San Diego}}</ref>

[[File:Jimmy Fallon 2019 01.png|thumb|Fallon on the set of ''The Tonight Show'' in 2019]]
In 2020, Fallon and pacifier company WubbaNub created limited-edition pacifiers based on the penguin and cow characters from his children's books.<ref>{{Cite web|title=WubbaNub by Jimmy Fallon Collection|url=https://wubbanubonline.com/collections/wubbanub-by-jimmy-fallon-collection|access-date=July 22, 2020|website=The WubbaNub Store, LLC|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=WubbaNub Just Launched Two Limited-Edition Pacifiers With Jimmy Fallon — and They're So Cute|url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/wubbanub-just-launched-two-limited-142011247.html|access-date=July 22, 2020|website=Yahoo.com|date=July 22, 2020 |language=en-US}}</ref>

In January 2022, Fallon was criticized for discussing [[NFTs]] (and promoting one of his own) on his show during an interview with [[Paris Hilton]], which may have breached [[Conflict of interest|conflict-of-interest policies]] set by [[NBCUniversal]]'s parent company [[Comcast]]; his own NFT was deduced to have most likely been purchased in November 2021 for about $216,000, and his promotion of it on the show could have boosted its asking price.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/business/technology/story/2022-01-26/jimmy-fallon-nft-ape-nbc|title=Jimmy Fallon hyped his Bored Ape NFTs on 'The Tonight Show.' Conflict of interest?|date=January 26, 2022|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=February 3, 2022}}</ref> NBC responded to the criticism by stating that it did not believe Fallon had broken its conflict-of-interest rules.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thegamer.com/jimmy-fallons-paris-hilton-nft/|title=Jimmy Fallon's Painfully Awkward NFT Segment Cost Him $216,000, May Have Breached Network Rules|date=January 27, 2022|website=TheGamer.com|access-date=February 3, 2022}}</ref>

On November 16, 2022, a Twitter hoax<!-- secondary sources + simple observation show Twitter users meant it as a joke and did not take it seriously --> spread with the hashtag ''#RIPJimmyFallon'', which started trending nationwide. Fallon asked Twitter owner [[Elon Musk]] for help, who joked "Say something that only the real Jimmy would say..." On his show the following day, Fallon made fun of the rumors in a skit described by ''Vulture'' as "[[tent revival]]-esque."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Squires |first=Bethy |date=November 16, 2022 |title=After #RIPJimmyFallon, Jimmy Fallon Is Back From the Dead |url=https://www.vulture.com/2022/11/ripjimmyfallon-jimmy-fallon-twitter-not-dead.html |access-date=November 17, 2022 |website=Vulture |language=en-us}}</ref>

On August 30, 2023, Fallon began hosting the comedy podcast ''[[Strike Force Five]]'' with [[Stephen Colbert]], [[Seth Meyers]], [[Jimmy Kimmel]], and [[John Oliver]] to support their staff members out of work due to the [[2023 Writers Guild of America strike]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Horton |first=Adrian |date=August 30, 2023 |title=Strike Force Five: what happens when late-night TV hosts make a podcast? |language=en-GB |work=[[The Guardian]] |url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2023/aug/30/strike-force-five-late-night-hosts-podcast-fallon-kimmel-colbert |access-date=September 1, 2023 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Rancilio |first=Alicia |date=August 30, 2023 |title=Late-night hosts team up for 'Strike Force Five' podcast to benefit their out-of-work staff |url=https://apnews.com/article/latenight-hosts-podcast-strike-force-five-f57d2b60642ded98799c4b57c627e5d6 |access-date=September 1, 2023 |website=[[AP News]] |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Spangler |first=Todd |date=August 29, 2023 |title=Late-Night Hosts Hook Up for Spotify Podcast With Proceeds to Benefit Unemployed Staffers During Writers Strike |url=https://variety.com/2023/digital/news/late-night-hosts-spotify-strike-team-five-writers-strike-1235706901/ |access-date=September 1, 2023 |website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |language=en-US}}</ref>

=== Toxic work environment allegations ===
In September 2023, ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' published an article about Fallon and ''The Tonight Show'' workplace culture titled "Chaos, Comedy, and 'Crying Rooms': Inside Jimmy Fallon's 'Tonight Show'", based on interviews with 16 former and then-active employees. It alleged that Fallon mistreated his staff, acted erratically, was prone to outbursts, and contributed to a toxic workplace culture. According to former employees, Fallon's behavior on a given day seemed to be related to whether he was allegedly hungover from the previous night. The abuse led to many employees referring to the special guests' dressing rooms as the ''crying rooms'' because that is where the employees would go to let out their emotions. [[NBC]] released a statement, defending the program, but they did not address the allegations against Fallon.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Yandoli|first=Krystie Lee|title=Chaos, Comedy, and 'Crying Rooms': Inside Jimmy Fallon's 'Tonight Show'|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-features/jimmy-fallon-tonight-show-toxic-work-environment-crying-rooms-nbc-1234819421/|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|date=September 7, 2023 |access-date=September 7, 2023}}</ref> The day of the article's publication, he apologized to his staff on a Zoom call, saying: "It's embarrassing and I feel so bad. Sorry if I embarrassed you and your family and friends."<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Porter |first1=Rick |last2=Thomas |first2=Carly |date=September 8, 2023 |title=Jimmy Fallon Apologizes to 'Tonight Show' Staff Following "Toxic Workplace" Accusations |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/jimmy-fallon-apologizes-the-tonight-show-staff-toxic-workplace-accusations-1235584951/ |access-date=September 8, 2023 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}</ref>