Jimmy Fallon is marking a very big occasion.
The comedian, 49, celebrated his 10-year anniversary as host of The Tonight Show on Tuesday, May 14, and reflected back on his job during the episode’s opening monologue. “Ten years,” Fallon said. “It’s hard to believe, when I got the job, President Biden was just a fresh-faced 71-year-old.”
He added, “We’ve been on the air for one pandemic, two elections and 300 Fast and Furious movies.” Fallon went on to thank his wife, their daughters and — he joked — “most of all, my lawyer, Michael Cohen.”
Fallon, who took on the job of Tonight Show host in 2014 as a successor to Jay Leno, celebrated his milestone by looking back on the past decade with Entertainment Tonight, telling the outlet that the gig has been “a dream come true.”
The Saturday Night Live alum noted that he’s excited for what’s to come in the years ahead. “Good things keep happening to the show, and I just want to keep it rolling, keep everyone having fun,” he said. “Our whole goal of the show is to make people laugh and to make people happy, and if I can do it for as long as I can, that’ll be the best thing for me.”
Looking back on the many highlights of his hosting duties, Fallon pointed to a 2015 guest appearance from Tom Cruise, who entered into a lip-synch battle with the comedian. “I mean, come on. Tom Cruise practiced this for five hours,” he recounted. “I wasn’t allowed to go into the studio ’cause he’s such a perfectionist, and I didn’t want to know.”
Fallon’s time as a host hasn’t come without controversy. In September 2023, Rolling Stone published their investigation into 16 employees’ claims about the show’s work environment. Of those interviewed, 14 were former employees and two are current staffers.
According to former employees, it was commonplace to hear colleagues joke about “wanting to kill themselves” due to the toxic workplace environment. The staffers also claimed that they referred to guests’ dressing rooms as “crying rooms” because that’s where they went to let out their emotions.
Fallon reportedly apologized to Tonight Show staff members after the allegations made headlines, addressing claims about the “horrible” work environment.
“It’s embarrassing and I feel so bad,” Fallon told personnel via Zoom that same month, according to Rolling Stone. “Sorry if I embarrassed you and your family and friends … I feel so bad, I can’t even tell you.”
