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The Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon says he’s “keeping his head down” as the White House attempts to exert federal pressure in order to purge late night television of programs it finds problematic. Just this summer, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert was canceled, while Jimmy Kimmel was suspended due to pressure from FCC chair Brendan Carr.
While the famously seaweed-spined Jimmy Fallon urged on CNBC that his show has never been “that political” and they “hit both sides equally and we try to make everybody laugh,” that hasn’t kept him out of the crosshairs of Donald Trump, who has publicly denigrated Fallon multiple times — saying he has “no talent” and calling him a “total loser,” among other barbs — and also called for the cancellation of his show.
“Great News for America: The ratings challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is CANCELLED. Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done. Kimmel has ZERO talent, and worse ratings than even Colbert, if that’s possible. That leaves Jimmy and Seth, two total losers, on Fake News NBC. Their ratings are also horrible. Do it NBC!!!” Trump posted on his social media app last month.
Despite the personal attacks on Fallon and macro attacks on free speech by the administration, the former Saturday Night Live star predictably said his plan is to “keep his head down.”
“Our monologues are the same we’ve been doing since Johnny Carson was doing The Tonight Show, so really I just keep my head down and make sure the jokes are funny,” Fallon said during an interview on CNBC. “We’re just trying to make the best show we possibly can and entertain everybody.”
Fallon’s response likely won’t surprise anyone, as memes of him becoming a government mouthpiece similar to what they have in North Korea went viral after the news of Kimmel’s suspension broke.
*CBS cancels Stephen Colbert*
**ABC pulls Jimmy Kimmel**
JIMMY FALLON (moving forward): pic.twitter.com/mx2NjHuO2g
— Mike Beauvais (@MikeBeauvais) September 17, 2025
In his first monologue after Kimmel’s suspension, Fallon offered the faintest of support while displaying the cultural awareness of an eight-year-old, as he claimed he “does not know what’s going on” before attesting that Jimmy Kimmel is a “decent, funny and loving guy.”