Liberal Tonight Show viewers were left incensed after host Jimmy Fallon did not try to take down Donald Trump or attempt to trip him up with “gotcha” questions during the pair’s interview on the NBC program Thursday night.
Instead, Fallon hosted Trump for an entertaining but insightful interview, during which the candidate clarified his relationship with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, talked about the upcoming first presidential debate and let the late-night host “mess up” his usually well-kept hair.
That wasn’t enough for progressives on Twitter, who took to the platform late Thursday night and Friday morning to excoriate Fallon for doing his job. Fallon’s name was still trending as of 9 a.m. Friday.
I don't fault Jimmy Fallon for not being a journalist. I do fault him for his willingness to serve as hell's court jester.
— Mark Harris (@MarkHarrisNYC) September 16, 2016
@KatyTurNBC I will never watch Jimmy Fallon again. That's how strongly I feel about humanizing a monster
— Empty the Basket (@puppymnkey) September 16, 2016
Can you imagine if Jimmy Fallon took a stand tonight
— Marlow Stern (@MarlowNYC) September 16, 2016
Jimmy Fallon does a lot of great impressions but his Sean Hannity tonight was one of his best.
— stuart stevens (@stuartpstevens) September 16, 2016
Jimmy Fallon blew it tonight. Late night comedians used be the court jesters of culture. Humanizing a xenophobe is not okay. #FallonTonight
— Ateeya Manzoor (@Ateeya) September 16, 2016
Jimmy Fallon a lil bitch for pretending to like Trump on his show, he was already sus for that Bill O'Reilly interview
— Donald Coates (@DonaldSweaterss) September 16, 2016
Jimmy Fallon has to play games because he can't even conduct a coherent interview with a YouTube star. But you want him to interview Trump?
— dan (@DanJMoran) September 16, 2016
Jimmy Fallon has the single worst interviews in Late Night. Games are fun though.
— Red Foxx (@gotMAB21) September 16, 2016
Jimmy Fallon just helped to ‘humanize’ a deranged, fascist Cheeto https://t.co/gXZfmDBjVW pic.twitter.com/xIGRNWe1Sj
— NoChill (@NoChillMonitor) September 16, 2016
i used to really love jimmy fallon, but i stopped watching the tonight show months ago bc i knew he would eventually do smth like this
— stephanie (@paulmcccartney) September 16, 2016
Jimmy Fallon there, humanising the far-right, messing about with Trump's hair. I hope he enjoys his new life as a racist clown.
— Henry Bell (@Henbell) September 16, 2016
Looking forward to watching Jimmy Fallon & David Duke slow jamming the news.
— mark (@mlnga) September 16, 2016
Jimmy Fallon's Hitler interview would have been entirely focused on his painting.
— (((TheFaust))) (@FaustMN) September 16, 2016
One user summed up the liberal outrage against Fallon in one sarcastic tweet:
What's wrong with you Jimmy Fallon? Don't you know you keep the comedy to the Dems, and hit the Reps with hard, gotcha questions?
— Duane (@Duane3846) September 16, 2016
Follow Daniel Nussbaum on Twitter: @dznussbaum
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