The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

Episode: Jimmy Recaps Trump's Busy Schedule | LL COOL J, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Riley Green
Date: September 5, 2025

Episode Overview

This energetic episode of The Tonight Show features a blend of Jimmy’s trademark monologue, comedy sketches, and high-profile celebrity interviews. The main themes include the kickoff of the NFL season, humorous commentary on topical events (notably Donald Trump’s packed week), a playful discussion of football, music, and sports celebrity culture, plus wide-ranging interviews with LL COOL J (on 40 years of "Rock the Bells" and the upcoming VMAs), NBA superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (on his historic season and new shoe line), and country artist Riley Green (on his roots and career). The episode is peppered with memorable comedic moments and showcases the guests’ personalities in lively, spontaneous exchanges.

Main Segments & Key Insights

1. Jimmy’s Monologue: NFL Season & Topical Jokes

[01:03 – 04:13]

• Jimmy kicks off by lamenting a lost college tuition bet on DraftKings, then launches into jokes about the Eagles and Cowboys opening the NFL season.
• A satirical ad fusion between Coors Light and hydration is introduced:
  “Football is back, which means tailgating, beers and shots, shots, shots. But remember, it’s important to stay hydrated and drink water. And that’s why you can always count on us. Coors Light.” ([01:50])
• Musical riff with LL COOL J: A tongue-in-cheek rap about NFL drama, Taylor Swift’s fictional engagement to Travis Kelce, and NFL storylines:
  “32 teams all trying to win. The Ravens, the Eagles, the Bills, all savage.” – LL COOL J ([02:19]) “And Taylor Swift is engaged to Travis.” – Jimmy ([02:23])
• Satire on President Trump’s “busy” schedule, recited like a children’s rhyme: “Sunday, White House. Monday, bed. Tuesday, speech — Tell everyone I’m not dead. Wednesday, got the CDC. All that’s left is WebMD…” – Jimmy ([03:11])

2. Comedy Sketch: NFL Season "Soprolatives"

[05:02 – 06:52]

• Jimmy runs through playful, made-up "superlatives" for NFL players:
  “Brian Anger... most likely to look at a bowling ball and say ‘Dad.’”
  “Braden Mann... most likely to be voted sexiest man alive in 1883.”
  • Others include lines about alien abductions, denim pajamas, and "swallowing a football sideways".
• The segment embraces the show's winking, irreverent humor.

3. Interview: LL COOL J

[07:34 – 13:43]

Career Retrospective, "Rock the Bells" & Hosting the VMAs

• Jimmy highlights LL’s music and acting legacy, referencing Any Given Sunday: “You think you’re an athlete until you get on the field with a recently retired Lawrence Taylor. And you get checked real quick.” – LL COOL J ([08:25])
• Discussion of training for acting vs real football: “Little League, you know, with LT… the older you get, the further back away from the line you get pushed depending on your size.” – LL COOL J ([09:14])
• 40th anniversary of "Rock the Bells":
  • LL explains why the video took 40 years:
    “The real reason is… I overslept. When it was time to shoot the first video, I just overslept, baby.” ([10:12])
  • The new video’s intergenerational concept led to a Tribeca Film Festival award.
• LL keeps it playful about his classic car, which grew a tree through it: “I went there one day and looked inside. Yo—there was a tree growing through the car.” ([12:03])
• Hosting the MTV VMAs:
  “Just to really make it about the artists, make it about the fans. Have fun. I’m gonna change my clothes, but we’re not gonna have 999,000 outfit changes.” ([12:34])
• On presenting the first Rock the Bells Visionary Award to Busta Rhymes:
  “He’s been such an instrumental and impactful artist… Not only with his rhythmic flow... but also his visual impact. The way he did the videos and the way he moved the world.” – LL COOL J ([13:10])

4. Interview: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (SGA)

[14:05 – 22:03]

NBA Historic Season, Video Games, and Fashion

• Recap of SGA's trophy-filled year: “You were the regular season MVP... the Thunder won an NBA championship, and you were named the Finals MVP, becoming just the fourth person in history to win the regular season MVP, scoring title and Finals MVP in the same season.” – Jimmy ([14:45]) “What a list.” – SGA ([15:29])
• Reflecting on achievement: “When you work hard, put your head down and take it one step at a time, you can get anywhere you want to go.” – SGA ([15:52])
• SGA on football: “No chance. No chance. No chance.” – SGA on playing in the NFL ([16:10]) “Just like how they can’t come on the basketball court, I can’t go on the football field.” ([16:16])
• SGA’s tunnel fashion ("fits"), upbringing, and his parents’ influence: “My parents growing up always made sure we left the house... and represented the family name. So if my collar was up, I’d get in trouble.” ([18:52])
• Shoe launch—Converse Shea One: “A lot of NBA players have a signature shoe... To be able to create your own and have the imprint on the shoe the way I have is amazing.” – SGA ([20:21])
  • New colorways are “named after my wife’s eye color, my brother's favorite color, and my mom’s entire closet is black.” ([21:16])

5. Interview: Riley Green

[22:23 – 29:28]

Country Roots, Family, Football, and Duck Calls

• Riley is on the "Damn Country Music Tour," playing to sold-out venues, including Red Rocks: “It’s awesome, man. All the shows have been selling out... I’ve been doing this for, you know, 10 or 12 years and just to see it continue to grow and the venues are getting bigger.” ([23:20])
• Memories of football and family: “My music career started as my football career ended. I really struggled to get up for a 9:15 class... after staying out all night playing in bars.” ([24:49])
  • His grandfathers’ influence, turning the family house into a “Golden Saw Music Hall”:
    “It was me and a bunch of older people and we’d meet up every Friday…” ([25:55])
  • Songwriting origin: “Nobody can tell the exact story that I tell. So I started writing songs just about how I grew up and my family and those values.” ([27:06])
• Hilarious moment: Duck call demonstration, as Jimmy predictably uses it “the wrong way,” sparking audience laughter: “I just feel like... it would be more fun if you tried it first because I think there’s a 50/50 chance you blowing the wrong end.” – Riley Green ([28:24]) "You don't smoke out of it." – Riley Green ([28:04])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• LL COOL J, on missing his iconic music video shoot:
  “The real reason is... I overslept. When it was time to shoot the first video... I just overslept, baby.” ([10:12])

• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, on humility despite superstar success:
  “When you're in the moment and you're competing and you're playing, you don't realize what you're doing until someone... like me tells you.” – Jimmy ([15:48])

• Jimmy Fallon, on football superlatives:
  “He was voted most likely to look at a bowling ball and say 'Dad.'” ([05:18])

• Riley Green on life as a touring country artist:
  “It’s awesome, man... All the shows have been selling out. It’s so cool to have a mom, especially as a songwriter when things are really working...” ([23:20])

• Riley Green, on his families' influence:
  “My granddaddy Buford just loved country music... My granddaddy Lyndon was like the fisherman hunter, you know, came to every ball game.” ([25:14])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Intro & Monologue — [00:05–04:13]
• NFL “Soprolatives” — [05:02–06:52]
• LL COOL J Interview — [07:34–13:43]
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Interview — [14:05–22:03]
• Riley Green Interview — [22:23–29:28]

Tone & Style

The episode is lively, fast-paced, and playful, with genuine warmth in the guest segments. Jimmy’s rapport with each guest is lighthearted, quick-witted, and self-deprecating—a hallmark of the Tonight Show’s late-night charm. Each guest brings their own personality, from LL COOL J’s charismatic storytelling and SGA's humble confidence, to Riley Green’s easygoing country humor. The episode is rich with pop culture references and inside jokes, making it enjoyable for fans across sports, music, and comedy.

This summary captures the highlights, notable comedic moments, and genuine conversations from each primary segment, offering an engaging guide for anyone interested in the episode's content and energy.