Jimmy Fallon’s on-air tribute for Rob Reiner left followers divided after the late evening host went with a brief, however candy message that made no point out of Donald Trump.
The comic addressed the double homicide of Reiner and his spouse, Michele Singer Reiner, throughout Monday’s broadcast of “The Tonight Present,” the place he took a second to mirror on the director’s final go to and praised him for his spectacular legacy.
“Rob was a frequent visitor right here on the present and everybody right here would line up round his dressing room and say ‘hello’ or inform him one thing that they cherished,” Fallon mentioned. “What he’s given to the world by his artwork. From “All within the Household to going into directing nice films like “Stand by Me,” “The Princess Bride,” “A Few Good Males,” “When Harry Met Sally,” “Spinal Faucet,” producing “Seinfeld.” Everybody felt like that they had a private connection to Rob Reiner and his work.”
Fallon recalled Reiner going together with a hugging bit throughout one interview, later praising the filmmaker because the “one of many smartest” and “funniest” individuals he’s ever met.
Whereas most followers applauded Fallon for his type phrases for Reiner, some known as the late evening host out for sidestepping a pair key details in regards to the tragedy. Not solely did Fallon keep away from addressing the grisly particulars surrounding the Reiners’ passing — that they had been allegedly stabbed to loss of life and their son, Nick, was the principle suspect — however he additionally made no point out of Trump, who confronted backlash for claiming the couple died on account of the director’s supposed “Trump Derangement Syndrome.”
“It’s disappointing that you just aren’t defending him the best way Seth Meyers did; by addressing how inhumane Trump’s put up was about each who Reiner was as an individual and the very fact he made his killing all about ‘Trump Derangement Syndrome,’” one critic sounded off within the feedback on YouTube. “Comedians are supposed to talk fact to energy, and also you persistently shrink back from something that would land you in the identical scorching water as Kimmel or Colbert from the President’s complaining and threats. Seth has put himself on the road to say what is correct, you fake it simply isn’t occurring.”
One other chimed in with, “The passing? You imply the insane slaughter.” A 3rd bitingly wrote, “Wow a complete minute and half? Don’t spend an excessive amount of time Jimmy.”
But, some got here to Fallon’s protection, with one fan writing it was “elegant” of the “Saturday Night time Reside” alum to “not make it about Trump.” A second fan on X famous, “Stunned at how perfunctory this was. Appeared like Fallon was simply going by the motions. Possibly too emotional to take care of another approach.”
Fallon’s resolution to not handle the Trump controversy isn’t essentially shocking, given the “Tonight Present” lead beforehand defended again in September that the present has “by no means actually been” political.
“Our present has by no means actually been that political. We hit each side equally, and we attempt to make everyone giggle, and that’s actually the best way our present works,” Fallon mentioned on CNBC on the time. “Our monologues are type of the identical that we’ve been doing since Johnny Carson was doing ‘The Tonight Present.’”
Watch Fallon’s full tribute above.
“The Tonight Present Starring Jimmy Fallon” airs weeknights at 11:35 p.m. ET on NBC.
