The 2025 TV schedule has been full of late-night shake-ups — from CBS canceling The Late Show with Stephen Colbert to ABC briefly suspending Jimmy Kimmel Live! before walking it back. But while the discourse about their shows and what is said on and about them continues, Jimmy Fallon says The Tonight Show monologue hasn’t really changed. The comedian has remained steady at the helm, steering one of television’s longest-running franchises through recent political upheaval. Despite the shifting TV landscape, Fallon insists his approach to the nightly monologue is no different from how Johnny Carson did it.
In a recent interview with CNBC’s Squawk on the Street, promoting his new unscripted series On Brand, which premieres on NBC this fall, Fallon addressed the current crackdown on comedian hosts and whether he worries about what he can (and can’t) joke about. The conversation had the SNL alum reflecting on his style and tipping his cap to comedy idol Johnny Carson. The pop culture fixture explained:
Our show’s never really been that political. You know, we hit both sides equally, and we try to make everybody laugh. That’s really the way our show works. Our monologue is kind of the same that we’ve been doing since Johnny Carson was doing the Tonight Show.
It’s a revealing statement, especially given how much late-night comedy has become synonymous with political commentary in recent years. Stephen Colbert has leaned heavily into satire aimed at Washington, John Oliver has taken home Emmys for his in-depth breakdowns of policy, and Seth Meyers regularly scores viral clips with his “A Closer Look” segments. But Fallon has carved out a lane closer to variety entertainment, with games, celebrity sketches, and a monologue that aims to keep the temperature dialed down.
Fallon’s approach doesn’t mean the NBC star is ignoring the times. Instead, he says it’s about focusing on what The Tonight Show does best, and by his measure, that’s being a showcase for jokes and entertainment that can reach across divides. He continued:
So, really I just keep my head down and make sure the jokes are funny. I have great writers: clever, smart writers. And we’re just trying to make the best show we possibly can and entertain everybody.
It’s a philosophy rooted as much in broad audience appeal as in tradition. Johnny Carson had a ton of great quotes, but his era — often considered the gold standard for the best late-night hosts— thrived on a kind of middle-America accessibility. The comedian-turned-TV host seems to want to capture that same vibe, aiming to create a show that’s enjoyable for everyone, even in a time when the most outrageous, divisive content receives a lot of attention online. Whether this approach will keep The Tonight Show competitive in today’s media scene is up for discussion. But for Fallon, the mission is pretty straightforward: just keep people laughing.
As for the talk-show staple’s new project, On Brand will air twice a week on NBC. Each episode follows participants from the On Brand Agency as they team up with major companies to craft fresh campaigns. By the finale, one creative will win a cash prize and the invaluable experience of the competition. Fallon serves as host, executive producer, and creator.
Meanwhile, his daily talk show and monologues will continue as The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon airs weeknights at 11:35 p.m. ET/10:35 p.m. CT on NBC.