Pete Davidson doesn’t usually mince words, and his latest take on Jimmy Fallon and the current state of 2026 television schedule late-night programming is no exception. Plenty of critics have spent years dragging late night for being stale, toothless, or aggressively upbeat, with Fallon often positioned as the face of that relentlessly sunny approach. But that’s not what the Staten Island comic was really getting at.
His straightforward observation skewed quite differently from other current conversations about late night, most of which are about exits and big changes being implemented. But it's what people in that chair probably think all the time but would never say out loud. In a clip from The Tonight Show, Davidson explained why he actually thinks Fallon has one of the toughest gigs in entertainment. It’s not the schedule or the audience expectations that come with hosting one of the most visible shows on television.
According to the SNL alum, the real challenge is emotional endurance. Or, in the meme-fueled comedian’s own words:
Your job’s hard, dude… Yeah, it’s one of those, you know, backseat driver sort of things where you’re like, ‘Ah, he’s just, you know…’ Dude, you have to pretend to care about people every day.
The crowd immediately laughed, and the longtime television personality jumped in with a cheerful defense, assuring everyone that he actually cares. Davidson wasn’t finished. The King of Staten Island star clarified that the job isn’t difficult when the guest is someone you genuinely like or already know. The problem is everything else. He continued:
It’s fun when you have your friends. Like, this is easy. You know, or like when you have people that you work with, it’s like, you know, you’re just talking. But you have to interview people that you don’t know… that… that are boring.
The audience erupted, fully aware that Davidson had just said the quiet part out loud. He then doubled down by demonstrating exactly what the job requires, launching into an exaggerated impression right in front the SNL vet's face, copying his signature enthusiasm, adding:
But you have to be like, ‘Oh, that’s amazing! Oh, yeah?! Wow!’ [claps hands] ‘No way! You brought your mom to the premiere!? Man, that’s so funny, dude! Best kid ever, dude!’
It’s brutal, but it’s also accurate. Talk show hosts in general aren’t just interviewers; they’re often expected to perform as professional hype machines. Every story and guest has to feel deserving of sincere interest. And yet, the Trainwreck actor made it clear he holds a strange sort of respect for the Tonight Show host, turning to the crowd and saying:
What Jimmy does is really, really hard. He’s amazing at his job.
What’s particularly great about this moment is that the Suicide Squad performer doesn’t take the easy road, mocking Fallon for being blandly positive. Instead, he acknowledged that maintaining that energy is a skill most people couldn’t fake for five minutes, let alone five nights a week.
Davidson’s visit to The Tonight Show was ultimately about more than just roasting Fallon’s job. He was there to talk about becoming a first-time dad, a life shift he’s clearly leaning into, minivan and all. From proudly embracing his fully tricked-out “dad van” to laughing about his massive VHS collection and the questionable pandemic logic that fueled it, the interview framed Pete Davidson in a rare, relaxed place. That easy, rambling energy made his late-night truth bomb land even harder.
You can see Fallon put in the emotional labor night after night on The Tonight Show weeknights at 11:35 p.m. ET on NBC, or on demand via Peacock subscription. Meanwhile, check out who's set to host SNL in the coming weeks.
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