As a presidential candidate Donald Trump got his hair tousled by fawning Jimmy Fallon at the same time Fallon’s comedic competitors (Colbert, Kimmel, Oliver, Bee, etc.) were ripping the candidate for his — well, for his everything. Fallon doesn’t get out the blades much. He likes to sing and deliver the easy buffoonery that he’s great at. (Not that the buffoonery itself is easy to do — comedy is legendarily hard! — but buffoonery is easier on viewers than confrontation.)
The good will Fallon earned with the Trumps was evident this week as Donald Trump Jr gave a shout out to the Tonight Show host for not being “vicious and pushing a political agenda like everyone else on TV.” (Hmm, that’s funny — quick, name someone who’s proudly vicious and always pushing a political agenda on TV! Hint: initials, D. T.) But being in the Trump family’s good graces can cut both ways. Audiences reportedly have been looking for the edgier stuff since Trump took office, creating a turnabout in the ratings that has seen Colbert rise above Fallon for the first time in a while. In business, perceived Trump support by companies like Uber and Under Armour hasn’t helped their customer relations, and LL Bean went out of its way to distance itself from the appearance of Trump support. It’s an environment in which praise from Donald Trump Jr may not be what Jimmy Fallon is looking for.
