Jimmy Fallon plans to keep his “head down” and steer clear of anything that might get him in trouble with President Donald Trump. But while the late night show host backed down seemingly in an act of self preservation, many online are accusing Fallon of tumbling down a dangerous path many white celebrities have ventured recently.
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The term “white silence” explains how some white people “keep silent when minority ethnic people are [being] harassed, lied on, bullied, gossiped about, or otherwise undermined by other white people,” according to the Institute for Equity. In today’s world, white silence looks like Ellen DeGeneres deleting a vague tweet after George Floyd’s 2020 killing or—in Fallon’s case—taking a neutral response in response to the president.
During an interview with NBC’s “Squawk on the Street,” the late night vet explained that his show has “never really been political” and that’s exactly how it’s going to stay. Back in 2016, Fallon hosted Trump on his talk show, and in 2020, former President Kamala Harris joined during her campaign. So it’s not that Fallon doesn’t get political, but he’s definitely walking on eggshells now.
“We hit both sides equally, and we try to make everybody laugh, and that’s really the way our show works,” Fallon continued before adding, “we’re just trying to make the best show we possibly can and entertain everybody.”
To many online, Fallon took the easy way out, refusing to take a stand against Trump– unlike Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel, who are outspoken against the administration despite their shows being suspended. We previously reported that Kimmel’s late night show was pulled over comments he made about the murder of Charlie Kirk. Still, he hasn’t shied away from ruffling Trump’s feathers… so why is Fallon staying quiet?
“All Jimmy Fallon will be remembered for is his failure to meet this moment,” @JDCocchiarella wrote on X.
Another user urged Fallon to fight back. “He thinks he’s going to survive this era by being a p***y. I’m so glad I don’t watch him,” @Needle_of_Arya said.
@dicapito said the reason for Fallon’s silence isn’t a mystery. “Fallon choosing to be a rich W[hite] M[an] first and foremost,” the user tweeted. Others called Fallon a “coward” and referenced Malcolm X’s quote, “A man who stands for nothing will fall for anything.” X isn’t the only civil rights leader who warned about the dangers of staying neutral in times of crisis, however.
In his “Letter From a Birmingham Jail,” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wrote he was “gravely disappointed with the white moderate… who is more devoted to ‘order’ than to justice.” For King, this type of white person is comfortable choosing “negative peace,” but unfortunately, Black Americans didn’t have that option in the ’60s, and they don’t have it now.
The president has targeted Black cities, ended diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and vowed to go after Black leaders who dare to defy him. Dozens of Black colleges were recently threatened with violence and urban neighborhoods are still disproportionately underfunded and disenfranchised. This is why Black folks on X continue to call out Fallon, saying he’s aiding to Trump’s success.
“Stand tf up! That’s why he [Trump] getting away with sh*t cause yall keep turning a blind eye,” @_xoxostephc tweeted. History shows us when folks stay silent, corruption and violence can fester, so now that the history books are being written, folks are begging white celebrities like Fallon to use their wealth and power to take a stand… any stand.
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