What happens when a high-energy political firebrand walks onto a mainstream entertainment stage filled with squealing boy-band fans?
On Thursday night, Gutfeld on Fallon gave us the answer.
Instead of arriving with his trademark rapid-fire political jabs, Fox News host Greg Gutfeld slipped into the role of an old showbiz buddy — the kind of guy with a few wild, booze-soaked stories from before fame came calling.
For anyone unfamiliar with his current reputation as the right’s rising comedic provocateur, you might never have guessed it from his Tonight Show appearance. On Jimmy Fallon’s couch, Gutfeld seemed less like the “take-no-prisoners” satirist from Fox and more like an eccentric, fast-talking guest with a game show to promote.
It didn’t help that the two segments before his entrance were devoted to the Jonas Brothers, complete with high-pitched squeals from the audience at every comment. That atmosphere probably steered Gutfeld away from his usual political zingers — which might have baffled the Jonas-loving crowd anyway.
Still, the setup promised more than it delivered. Gutfeld’s brand of roaring political humor in the heart of network late-night TV sounded like a recipe for fireworks. Instead, it played out as a quirky, good-natured cameo.
He did make an entrance, though. Bursting through the blue Tonight Show curtains, Gutfeld launched himself into Fallon’s arms. A seemingly surprised Fallon carried him around for a few seconds, almost like Chris Kattan’s Peepers character from SNL had just come to life.
Gutfeld on Fallon
Here's Gutfeld jumping into Fallon's arms after he's introduced. pic.twitter.com/1LoBrJ6wDC
— LateNighter (@latenightercom) August 8, 2025
Before Jimmy Fallon could get a word out, Gutfeld on Fallon kicked off with a long, winding story about the night the two first met — 15 years ago — at what Gutfeld called an “illegal speakeasy” where, in his words, “we were wasted.”
According to Gutfeld, Fallon had jumped into his arms that night, though Fallon seemed to have only a faint memory of the encounter — perhaps because, back then, Gutfeld was just another guy at the bar, not a late-night personality with big Fox News ratings.
Notably, Fallon didn’t describe Gutfeld as a late-night “rival” during the chat, instead noting that his show airs on Fox News “at 10 p.m.”
The bar story snowballed into a chaotic recollection of piling into Fallon’s car, only to end up at another bar in the same building. The details came so quickly that it may have thrown Fallon off his planned questions about Gutfeld’s fiery TV career.
Instead, the conversation veered into Gutfeld’s early résumé, including jobs he was fired from, leading to the story of his first Fox News gig. He recalled being offered a tryout for a late-night show with almost no preparation — and even joked that “everyone was drunk, even the cameramen.” That unpolished pilot became Red Eye, Gutfeld’s first big break at Fox.
Fallon managed to squeeze in one prepared question, asking about how Gutfeld turned his mother into a recurring on-air character. The anecdote, paired with a photo, drew warm “awwws” from the Jonas Brothers–loving audience.
But there was no mention of Gutfeld’s nightly political takedowns on his Fox show — the kind of biting commentary where he skewers liberal sacred cows.
Instead, the segment shifted to Gutfeld’s latest project, the Fox Nation game show What Did I Miss?, which debuted in May. The premise: contestants are secluded for weeks in an upstate house with no access to news, then quizzed on current events they missed — and asked to guess whether the headlines are real or fake.
“It’s kind of like Big Brother with a quiz,” Gutfeld joked. Surprisingly, he pointed to Donald Trump as making the game harder because of his unpredictable statements, offering the example of asking contestants if Trump really wanted to annex Canada. (On his regular show, most of his “crazy” examples come from Democrats.)
Conspicuously absent from the conversation was any discussion of late-night TV’s current landscape — including the recent cancellation of Stephen Colbert’s show, which Gutfeld has publicly celebrated. Fallon also avoided political jabs altogether, likely because the episode’s lighter tone was already set by his low-Trump monologue and two energetic Jonas Brothers segments.
By the end of the interview, it wasn’t clear what Gutfeld had hoped to achieve from his appearance. He leaned into being the quirky, “wild and crazy guy” guest, steering clear of his combative political persona.
As for Fallon, he made no attempt to prod that side of his guest. Was that a missed opportunity? Perhaps — but the easygoing, entertainment-focused vibe of the night suggested sparks were never really in the cards.
Simply put, Gutfeld on Fallon was less about political fireworks and more about swapping boozy old stories, promoting a game show, and keeping the Jonas Brothers crowd smiling.
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