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Jimmy Fallon was sure he’d get ‘canceled’ after awkward Tonight Show moment: “I thought it was over”

Jimmy Fallon’s live TV interview took an awkward turn, leaving him fearing for his career, and his hilarious reaction to the moment quickly went viral

For over a decade, Jimmy Fallon, who has long been known as the friendly, easygoing face of late-night TV, has charmed his way through interviews with stars from every corner of the entertainment world. But even the smoothest host can stumble, and in 2020, Fallon experienced a moment so awkward it left fans, and himself convinced that his career might be over. The now-infamous incident occurred when RuPaul, the legendary host of 'RuPaul’s Drag Race', appeared on 'The Tonight Show'. 

 The conversation seemed to be going well, with Fallon spotlighting RuPaul’s achievements, including his groundbreaking Vanity Fair cover. Holding up the magazine, Fallon declared enthusiastically, “The first time a drag queen has ever appeared on the cover.” That’s when RuPaul, with a perfectly timed interruption, shot back, “A drag queen? A drag queen,” as reported by Unlaid. The effect was immediate and electric. Fallon froze in his seat, his jaw dropping as his face registered a mix of horror and disbelief. It was as if time stopped, with Fallon seemingly convinced he had committed an unforgivable mistake. Fans who watched the clip couldn’t help but react to his visible panic. "I dead a*s feel bad for jimmy he saw the closure of his show for a few seconds," shared one user on X, while another wrote, "He saw his life flashing before his eyes he really thought he was gonna get cancelled." 

For Fallon, it wasn’t just a fleeting moment of embarrassment, it was a full-blown existential crisis. He later admitted that he thought his hosting career was done for. Reflecting on the moment during a later episode of his show, he confessed, “I really thought it was over. ‘That’s it, I’m canceled.’ I started my own hashtag, #JimmyFallonIsOverParty. ‘I had a good run, I had 10 years in the business.’” Just when it seemed like the tension couldn’t get any worse, RuPaul let Fallon, and the audience, off the hook with a perfectly delivered punchline: “I am the QUEEN of drag.” The room erupted in laughter, and Fallon’s face instantly shifted from sheer terror to overwhelming relief. 

The moment quickly went viral, not only for Fallon’s dramatic reaction but also for RuPaul’s impeccable comedic timing. It was peak tension and release, showing us RuPaul’s knack for commanding any room, even one designed to spotlight the host. Looking back, Fallon has been able to laugh about the experience, even poking fun at himself for overreacting. “I was like, ‘Wait, what did I do wrong?’ It was so funny,” he joked, as reported by Gaytimes. For Fallon, it was a close call, more like a brush with disaster that ended in laughter instead of backlash, lucky for him.

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