Inside Jimmy Fallon’s ‘Tonight Show’ Ratings Trainwreck

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The folks at “The Tonight Show” might be popping Champagne this week.

Let them. The news for this iconic talk show hasn’t been good for some time.

Jimmy Fallon’s late-night program triumphed in an uncommon ratings contest, largely due to the success of his “Saturday Night Live” colleagues.

During the week starting February 10, renowned former “SNL” stars Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and Seth Meyers graced “The Tonight Show” as guests. This show recorded an average live-plus-same-day rating of 0.14 in the demographic of adults aged 18 to 49, making it the top choice among its late-night rivals for that week.

The good news ends there.

As a movie reviewer, I must confess that Fallon’s “Tonight Show” has been lagging behind in ratings, not just Fox News’ “Gutfeld!” but also its fellow broadcast competitors. In fact, last year, the show reduced its programming from five nights to four, which I can’t help but see as another indication of the once-dominant show’s decline.

As a dedicated cinephile, let me tell you this: For quite some time, Johnny Carson and Jay Leno reigned supreme on “The Tonight Show,” making it the unrivaled late-night hit in recent television history. The way Jay Leno outperformed David Letterman, his prime-time rival, was particularly noteworthy, given the distinct appeal of Letterman’s show.

That dominance ended after Fallon took over the show in 2014.

Currently, Stephen Colbert’s “The Late Show” is leading the pack in the 11:30 PM Eastern Time slot, with Jimmy Kimmel’s show on ABC coming in second.

This January 2025 snapshot isn’t an aberration.

What happened?

To begin with, Fallon deviated from the approach taken by Carson and Leno. Unlike these late-night icons, they didn’t align themselves with a particular political side. They often poked fun at the president of the day, but generally in good humor rather than in a harsh or disrespectful manner. It seems that Leno leans towards liberal politics, and he is not particularly fond of President Trump.

You never knew it while watching his nightly monologues.

Carson’s bipartisan approach truly shone, being held up as an example, and it led to enormous viewership figures.

On “The Tonight Show” with Fallon, there’s a subtle form of resistance theater happening. For four consecutive years, he has chosen not to address the clear indications of President Joe Biden’s cognitive decline, instead giving him a pass. This approach is reminiscent of what Colbert and Kimmel did on their shows, but it may have cost Fallon viewers who are seeking honesty in late-night satire.

In simpler terms, Fallon’s monologues resemble the lighter version of Colbert’s. They lean towards the left politically, but they lack a strong bite. For those seeking intense progressive humor, there are other specific places to find it.

As a movie enthusiast, I find that right-wing viewers perceive Jimmy Fallon doesn’t engage or resonate with their perspectives. Consequently, they divert their attention towards alternative sources of comedy, such as “Gutfeld!” or comedians like Tyler Fischer, Tim Dillon, or Andrew Schulz.

The critical moment that led to Fallon shifting more to the left was during the 2016 presidential campaign. On his program, he welcomed candidate Trump, gave him a fair treatment, and even playfully messed up his famous hairstyle.

In simpler terms, the media heavily criticized Fallon for making Trump seem more acceptable, and in response, he went on a series of apology interviews. To defend himself, he could have explained that he treats every guest just as any other guest would be treated.

No. He begged for the corrupt media’s forgiveness instead.

In my perspective, that shift in his political stance unfortunately relegated him to a consistent underdog in the realm of late-night comedy. Unlike many others in his field, he steers clear of making jokes about the comical missteps of Governor Gavin Newsom or Mayor Karen Bass from Los Angeles.

On “The Tonight Show” with Fallon, there’s been a recent shift towards being friendly with billionaires and issuing apologies for skits involving blackface from years past.

14 million viewers tuned in for Leno’s last “Tonight Show” episode, so it remains to be seen how many people will watch when Fallon concludes his run on NBC. The question also arises as to whether the show can continue after him.

The situation raises an awkward query: Which version of Jimmy Fallon is authentic? His ease appears to lie in lighthearted, musical segments and non-political skits. He’s a skilled impressionist, and his “SNL” past frequently benefits him.

In the current landscape of late-night television, he had an opportunity to pave a non-partisan path. However, he yielded to political pressures, disregarding the traditional approach similar to Carson and Leno.

The ratings speak for themselves.

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2025-02-25 23:03