It was the hair tousle seen ’round the world.
Less than two weeks before the first presidential debate, which seems like a million years ago, Donald Trump dropped by The Tonight Show and let host Jimmy Fallon mess with the bird nest on top of his head known as “hair.” Fallon was roundly criticized for humanizing Trump, including from Full Frontal with Samantha Bee producer Jo Miller, who told the New York Times, “If he thinks that a race-baiting demagogue is OK, that gives permission to millions of Americans to also think that.” Fallon’s defense for making Trump — who called Mexicans “rapists” and wants Muslims banned from entering the United States — seem like America’s best friend was that he’s “never too hard on anyone,” which is fine when he’s bobbing for apples with Josh Gad, or whatever. But, as our own Jason Tabrys noted, “Maybe Fallon could have just curbed the cuteness and done a straight interview with boring questions (like he does with most guests) instead of allowing himself to be used.”
That’s, obviously, not what happened, and now Donald Trump and Jimmy Fallon are preparing for their next gigs: being the 45th President of the United States of America and hosting the Golden Globes.
Fallon spoke to the Hollywood Reporter about what people should expect during Sunday’s ceremony. “If I hit somebody, it’s a very subtle hit, and everyone’s in on the joke,” he said about his nice-guy personality (especially in contrast to last year’s acidic and divisive host, Ricky Gervais). “I want to make sure everyone’s laughing and having a good time. And I’m hopefully going to book the people in this crowd the next week, so I’ll be edgy, but it’s all in good fun, and I know how far I can take it.” Will there be jokes at Trump’s expense?
“Yeah,” Fallon replied. “The whole night won’t focus on that, but it will be a week before the inauguration, so it will be on everyone’s mind… It’s the first and maybe the last party that we’ll have in 2017.” Fallon — who will be the first non-Gervais or Tina Fey/Amy Poehler emcee since John Larroquette and Janine Turner (!) in 1995 — shouldn’t be worried. Half the crowd will be checking Twitter to see what Trump thinks about the ceremony, anyway.
(Via the Hollywood Reporter)
