Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive show news, updates, and more!
10 Viral Tonight Show Moments People Still Talk About Today
From the all-out hilarious to the hilariously awkward, these have us laughing every time we rewatch.
Creating moments that viewers want to share has been a crucial part of what makesThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon so special.
The sixth incarnation of TV’s longest-running late night talk show made its debut in the age of social media and quickly found a winning recipe in combining Host Jimmy Fallon’s zest for getting extremely silly with the hidden (and not-so-hidden) talents of celebrity guests. It’s no wonder The Tonight Show is the #1 late night show on digital, boasting nearly 100 million followers across TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter.
Here, we’re looking back at 10 of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon’s most viral moments.
Nicole Kidman informs Jimmy Fallon that they went on a date
During Nicole Kidman's first interview with Jimmy Fallon in 2015, she quickly acknowledged that she hadn’t seen him since their awkward meeting a decade prior. Fallon and Kidman proceeded to take turns recounting her visit to his home…which, according to her, was in fact a flubbed date.
RELATED: The Most-Watched Games of The Tonight Show Season 10
Fallon is as shocked as the audience to learn of his missed opportunity, hilariously hiding under his desk as Kidman spins her tale. The actress returned a year later to lightly jibe Fallon about his disinterest again—this time with her husband, Keith Urban, who got in on the fun.
Kevin Hart runs screaming from Robert Irwin’s animals
When Kevin Hart visited The Tonight Show in 2018, he shared the stage with a few guests: Robert Irwin, son of the late Steve Irwin, and his collection of adorable animals. But the Hart to Heart Host found them more terrifying than adorable—and when Irwin pulled out a certain eight-legged creature, even Fallon tried to crawl up a wall and escape.
Jack Black is the Sax-a-Boom master
Black delighted The Tonight Show audience with his turn on a Sax-a-Boom, a toy instrument he busts out in performances with his rock-comedy duo Tenacious D. “A Sax-A-Boom is its own kind of instrument that takes years to master,” the The Super Mario Bros. Movie voice actor told Fallon, before going on to prove that he truly had.
Daniel Radcliffe is an excellent rapper, actually
Admitting his “obsession with memorizing complicated, lyrically-intricate, and fast songs,” rap fan Radcliffe stepped up to the mic to perform “Alphabet Aerobics” by Blackalicious, stunning the crowd with his rapid-fire rapping. Bet Draco Malfoy couldn’t do that.
Fallon interviews Khaleesi from GoT (Kristen Wiig)
When Kristen Wiig visited The Tonight Show dressed as Game of Thrones character Daenerys Targaryen, it became immediately obvious that Wiig has never seen the series.
This made for one hilarious ad-libbed interview, in which we learned Khaleesi’s really a standup comic named Karen who likes to “do spells on people” for fun.
Channing Tatum Visits "Ew!"
Fallon has welcomed a host of celebrity co-stars to his “Ew!” sketch series, from Ariana Grande to Jennifer Lopez to John Cena. They’ve all sparkled as friends of Fallon’s teen girl character Sara (that’s S-A-R-A with no H, because H’s are ‘ew’!”), but Tatum's turn as Sara’s bestie Susie Callahan let the dancer-turned-actor showcase his talent for unhinged facial expressions.
Jimmy Fallon and Michelle Obama surprise people in the 30 Rock elevators
An elevator full of Tonight Show tour-takers reacting to a surprise Michelle Obama reveal is an instant day-brightener.
Jimmy Fallon reunites the Saved By the Bell cast
Nineties kids who watched Zack Morris, AC Slater, and Kelly Kapowski every Saturday morning were in for a treat when Fallon reunited Found star Mark-Paul Gosselaar and several of his co-stars for this nostalgic sketch. They’d reunite again several years later for a Saved by the Bell revival on Peacock.
Will Ferrell and Jimmy Fallon feud over "Tight Pants"
The Tonight Show’s recurring “Tight Pants” sketch is so reliably and undeniably silly, you can’t help but laugh at whomever is dancing next to Fallon in those skintight slacks—and Will Ferrell as a tight pants-wearing bully with killer dance moves is pure gold.
Ariana Grande stuns on “Wheel of Musical Impressions”
Ariana Grande is a Tonight Show MVP, and her jaw-dropping imitations of Britney Spears and Celine Dion made for one of The Tonight Show’s most enduring viral moments: It’s received over 93 million YouTube views to date.
