Senate GOP Blocks Release of Epstein Files | Reese Witherspoon, Mark Ronson, Gianmarco Soresi | Thursday, September 11

Summary

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

Episode: Senate GOP Blocks Release of Epstein Files | Reese Witherspoon, Mark Ronson, Gianmarco Soresi | September 11
Release Date: September 12, 2025

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Episode Overview

This lively episode of The Tonight Show blends Jimmy Fallon’s signature blend of monologue humor, topical political commentary, lighthearted celebrity interviews, and fun games. Special guests Reese Witherspoon and Mark Ronson engage in “True Confessions,” discuss new projects, and share memorable anecdotes, while comedian Gianmarco Soresi delivers his Tonight Show stand-up debut. Key recurring themes include the intersection of politics and pop culture, the process of creativity, and the joy (and awkwardness) of personal stories.

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Key Discussion Points & Highlights

1. Monologue & Topical Humor (01:22–05:15)

• Epstein Files & Political Satire: Jimmy dives straight into the news, mocking the Senate GOP’s vote to block the Epstein files release:
  • “Senate Republicans just voted to block the release of the Epstein files. The final vote was 51 yays, 49 ews.” (01:22)
• Political Jabs: Quick-witted observations on RFK Jr., Kamala Harris, and Biden:
  • “When it comes to RFK Jr. the only thing Americans agree 100% on is that working out in jeans is weird.” (01:38)
  • On Harris’ new book: “It’s not hard to distance yourself from Biden. Just go up two stairs.” (01:56)
• Business News in Comedic Light:
  • Amazon’s AR glasses, J.C. Penney’s Taylor Swift collection, Starbucks renovations, Uber helicopter booking, and the fact that mosquitoes love beer drinkers get the Fallon spin.
    • “Uber said… users will be able to book helicopters on the app. I’m drunk. Somebody call me a helicopter!” (04:38)

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2. Show Line-Up & Upcoming Special (05:15–06:53)

• Guests Announced: Reese Witherspoon (The Morning Show), Mark Ronson (new book: Night: How to be a DJ in 90s New York City), and comedy from Gianmarco Soresi.
• Road Trip Teaser: Tonight Show’s upcoming Detroit special with Keegan Michael Key, Cade Cunningham, and Common performing.
  • “We have lots of fun stuff planned, lots of surprises. I can’t wait to see you Detroit.” (06:45)

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3. True Confessions: Witherspoon & Ronson (07:11–15:34)

Setup

A party game: Each participant picks an envelope containing either a true or false confession. The others must interrogate and then unanimously decide if it’s true.

Reese Witherspoon’s Confession

• Claim: “I got all the ladies of Big Little Lies to go skinny dipping in the Pacific Ocean after a night shoot.” (08:41)
  • Reese details the scenario, citing location (Monterey), time (late spring), and players (LAURA wouldn’t go in due to shark fear).
  • Jimmy and Mark pick apart the story’s details, notably the ambiguity between skinny dipping vs. wearing bathing suits.
  • Big reveal: It was a lie.
    • “You didn't? Gosh darn it.” — Reese Witherspoon (10:33)
    • Fallon: “You were amazing. No, you were very convincing.” (10:44)

Jimmy Fallon’s Confession

• Claim: “I almost died once on a mountaintop. And Don Johnson saved my life.” (10:46)
  • Fallon spins a wild yarn with evocative details: Sun Valley, Don Johnson’s ski outfit, a vision of his grandmother and Abraham Lincoln, and a profanity-laden pep talk from Johnson.
  • Everyone suspects the story is made up.
  • Big reveal: It was a lie.
    • “That was the best acting I’ve ever done in my life.” — Jimmy Fallon (13:36)

Mark Ronson’s Confession

• Claim: “One of my earliest childhood memories is of Robin Williams tucking me into bed.” (13:51)
  • Mark explains: Robin Williams, through family parties in London. “He turned around, he was like, nanu nanu.” (14:40)
  • Other players are skeptical but Ronson claims it’s true and that it’s in his book.
    • “It is in the book and it…” — Mark Ronson (15:33)

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4. Interview: Reese Witherspoon

(16:09–22:06)

Cliff Jumping with Her Son

• Viral Social Media Post: Reese recounts her viral cliff-jumping moment with her son in Italy—all while terrified.
  • “I stood there for three solid minutes going, I'm not gonna do this. I think I'm gonna throw up.” — Reese Witherspoon (17:22)

Debut Novel: Gone Before Goodbye

• Reese discusses writing her own novel, co-authored with Harlan Coben.
  • “She’s a surgeon in the military… [who] gets hired to go to Russia to do a surgery on a very wealthy man and his girlfriend, and she gets stuck in an international world of corruption and greed.” (18:51)
  • On the writing process: “It was a lot like jumping off the cliff. Yeah, it was very similar.” (19:13)

Big Little Lies Update

• Teaser about possible Season 3:
  • “We might be working on season three.” (19:58)
  • “Just to get the gang back together … It's really fun.” (20:12)

The Morning Show (Season 4)

• Star-studded guest cast including Jeremy Irons, Marion Cotillard, and the return of Jon Hamm.
  • “It’s very topical, too, of what’s actually happening in the world today. Yeah, it's very relevant.” — Jimmy Fallon (21:53)

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5. Interview: Mark Ronson

(22:33–30:57)

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: Foreigner

• Fallon and Ronson celebrate Foreigner (Ronson’s stepdad’s band) being inducted, with a shoutout to Paul McCartney’s supportive profane video.
  • “When I found out they got in… I was so much more excited when they got in than any other award or anything I ever got. Like, I just… I actually broke down and cried.” — Mark Ronson (23:39)

Foreigner’s Taylor Swift/Travis Kelce Campaign

• “Please accept this as a formal offer to be your wedding band. Best witches, Foreigner.” (24:18)

Book: Night: How to Be a DJ in 90s New York City

• Mark discusses club culture, crate-carrying, party-starting, and learning the DJ craft.

  • “My music is playing outdoors and all these people are listening to it... It was the first time in my life I felt like I did something right.” (27:46)

• On being bold at the DJ booth:

  • “Playing the kind of wrong record… you could get like a bottle thrown at the booth or worse... I had this idea to play rock music. And from that moment I started playing all this, you know, all rock and roll, hip hop, all this stuff. And I became known as sort of that guy in New York.” (28:30–29:14)

• On premiering Biggie’s “Hypnotize” in a club:

  • “It sounds like a meteor hitting the club… Everybody connected by this experience.” (30:04)

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6. Stand-Up: Gianmarco Soresi (31:17–37:10)

Stand-Up Debut: Smart, self-aware relationship comedy, therapy jokes, and a heartfelt tattoo bit:

• “All the jokes tonight are about my girlfriend, and I don’t want to use her real name. So let’s just call her women.” (31:44)
• Jokes on anxiety and therapy: “I have all the anxiety of regular Judaism, but without the comfort of God.”
• Chronicling girlfriend’s night terrors: “I just have to accept the fact that I share a bed with a malfunctioning police scanner.” (33:40)
• Break-up and tattoo story: “I got a tattoo of the first letter of her name… I have to tell every woman I date about my dead friend Larry.”

Final punchline:

• “Let me figure out a way where I can do the Tonight Show and I can tell my tattoo joke on TV. And I promised her if that doesn’t win Laura back, I will get it removed the very next day.” (36:54)

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Notable Quotes and Moments

• On politicians and the Epstein file vote:
  • “The final vote was 51 yays, 49 ews.” — Jimmy Fallon (01:22)
• On mother-son cliff-jumping:
  • “You’re seeing the tail end. I stood there for three solid minutes going, I'm not gonna do this. I think I'm gonna throw up.” — Reese Witherspoon (17:18)
• On Foreigner's induction:
  • “I actually broke down and cried when I found out that they got in.” — Mark Ronson (23:39)
• Soresi on relationship tattoos:
  • “I have to tell every woman I date about my dead friend Larry.” — Gianmarco Soresi (35:15)

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Timestamps for Major Segments

• Monologue / News & Pop Culture Jokes: 01:22–05:15
• Line-up & Detroit Road Show Teaser: 05:15–06:53
• True Confessions (Witherspoon, Ronson, Fallon): 07:11–15:34
• Reese Witherspoon Interview: 16:09–22:06
• Mark Ronson Interview: 22:33–30:57
• Gianmarco Soresi Stand-up: 31:17–37:10

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Tone, Style, and Flow

The episode is upbeat, irreverent, and quick-witted, moving seamlessly between punchy political humor, playful competition, and heartfelt celebrity storytelling. Interviews are breezy, humorous, and personal. The stand-up segment provides smart, observational comedy that rounds out the show with warmth and relatability.

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For Listeners Who Missed It

This Tonight Show episode captures Jimmy Fallon at his best—balancing topical satire, fun games, and intimate celebrity discussions. Reese Witherspoon shares both her adventurous and creative sides, teasing new projects. Mark Ronson offers insight into his musical journey and DJ culture, and Gianmarco Soresi’s relatable comedy provides lots of laughs. Whether you’re here for entertainment news, deep-cut anecdotes, or fresh comedy, this episode has something for everyone.

Transcript

[Jimmy Fallon]

From Studio 60 in Rockefeller center in the heart of New York City, it's a Tonight show starring Jimmy Fallon. Tonight, join Jimmy and his guests, Reese Witherspoon, Mark Ronson, comedian John Marco Sorese. And featuring the legendary Ruth Crew. 2182. And now, here he is. Give me. That's what I'm talking about. Right? Everybody, thank you very much. Enjoy yourself.

Enjoy yourself.

Have a seat.

Enjoy yourself. Yeah. Welcome, everybody. Welcome to the Tonight Show. You're here.

It's a great show tonight. Reese Witherspoon is here tonight. Come on. Yes.

She plays Bradley Jackson on the morning Show. It's a lot like the Today show, except each episode lasts for one hour, not 14. Well, guys, some news from Washington. Senate Republicans just voted to block the release of the Epstein files. The final vote was 51 yays, 49 ews. After the vote, Republicans were like, listen, we know it looks bad. Meanwhile, the UK has fired their ambassador to the US over his ties with Jeffrey Epstein. And today, Trump wrote him a goodbye letter inside a doodle of a naked King Charles. Not my signature. Well, listen to this. I read a new poll that shows most Americans don't agree with RFK Jr. S stance on vaccines. Yeah, and if there's one thing that'll change RFK Jr's mind, it's data. When it comes to RFK Jr the only thing Americans agree 100% on is that working out in jeans is weird. Just odd. You guys see this? In her new book, Kamala Harris said it was reckless for Democrats to let Joe Biden make his own decision about running for reelection. Harris is trying to distance herself from Biden. It's not hard to distance yourself from Biden. Just go up two stairs. Harris also accused Biden's team of sabotaging her during her vice presidency. Ooh, so much drama. They need Andy Cohen to host a reunion episode.

[Mark Ronson]

That's awesome.

[Jimmy Fallon]

These are some tough accusations from Harris. When asked to comment, Biden said, were you talking to me? I was looking for metal. Well, well. Switching gears to some business news. Amazon is developing their own AR glasses to compete with Meta. Sure, but do they look as stylish and as cool as Meadows? Come on. Hey, get this. I saw that J.C. penney is hoping to boost low sales by unveiling a Taylor Swift inspired collection and spirit. Halloween was like just walk towards the light. Hey, I read that Starbucks is planning to renovate over 1,000 of its stores. They're gonna make some big changes. Here's what some other chains had to say about it. First, panera Bread said, good luck with the update. And Olive Garden said, can't wait to see your new look. Then Cracker Barrel said, are you out of your mind? And Subway said, total makeover and rebrand. Love it. And Cracker Barrel said, for the love of all that's holy, do not change. Then Starbucks said, chill out, we're just renovating. We might start a new ad campaign. And finally, American Eagle said, are you.

Out of your mind?

Good luck to Starbucks. Some more business news. Uber said that as soon as next year users will be able to book helicopters on the app. I guess it's a good idea, although it's a little worrying to hear I'm drunk. Somebody call me a helicopter. I gotta get chopper out of here. And finally, a new study found that mosquitoes are especially attracted to beer drinkers. Mosquitoes hurt me like I can coat whenever I want. Someone call me a helicopter.

We have a great show. Give it up for the.

[Mark Ronson]

Midnight.

[The Roots (band members)]

I need a flat top. Come and check the lava of the field.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Thank you very much. Enjoy yourself. What a show we have for you.

Tonight is she is an award winning actress who stars in the Apple TV series the Morning Show Season 4 premieres September 17th.

Reese Witherspoon is here.

I faith he is a talented and successful songwriter and producer and he's got a new book out September 16th called Night how to be a DJ in 90s New York City.

Mark Ronson is joining us tonight.

My man. I know, I love it.

And we got great stand up comedy from John Marco Cerese.

Funny dude. And just a reminder, we're taking the Tonight show on the road. This Monday, September 15th we'll be doing an all new show from Detroit. Detroit, Michigan. Keegan Michael Key will be there. Detroit Pistons all star Cade Cunningham will be there.

Common will be performing.

We have lots of fun stuff planned, lots of surprises. I can't wait to see you Detroit. So get ready. It's going to be good.

Stick around. When we come back we're playing True Confessions with Reese Witherspoon and Mark Bronzer.

Welcome back to the tonight show. It is time to play a game of deception called True Conflict Confessions.

My first opponent tonight is a very.

Talented actress who stars in the morning Show Season 4 premieres September 17th on Apple TV.

Please welcome Reese Witherspoon. You nailed it. Nailed it. Oh my God. Welcome.

You nailed it Reese. Welcome back to the show. Reese and I will be facing off against a Grammy award winning musician. His new book night how to be a DJ in 90s New York City is out September 16th.

Please welcome Mark Ronson.

Mark. All right, welcome, bud. Here's how this works. In front of each of us are two envelopes containing confessions. One is true, the other is a lie. Once you read your confession, the other two players get to interrogate you. Then they have to come up to a unanimous decision. Is it the truth or is it a lie? Reese, you're gonna go first. Which envelope should you choose? One or two? One is true, one is a lie. Open number two, please. Game begins.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Oh, I got all the ladies of Big Little Lies to go skinny dipping in the Pacific Ocean after a night shoot.

[Jimmy Fallon]

That's a lot of people. I love that show. I know everybody. It is. It is in. Where'd you film it again?

[Reese Witherspoon]

Monterey.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Monterey.

[Mark Ronson]

So that's the Pacific Ocean?

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yeah. Yeah. What time of night?

[Reese Witherspoon]

Well, it was late spring, and we were finishing season two, and we all stayed in this hotel by the ocean.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Oh, cool.

[Reese Witherspoon]

We had finished shooting, and we had a little wine.

[Mark Ronson]

Yeah.

[Reese Witherspoon]

And I was like, you know what we should do?

[Jimmy Fallon]

I didn't know if I'm believing you or you're playing me right now.

[Reese Witherspoon]

No.

[Mark Ronson]

What color bathing suit?

[Jimmy Fallon]

Oh. What are you wearing?

[Reese Witherspoon]

I mean, we all had different bathing suits on because we just shot a scene that day where we were wearing little black bathing suits. This actually didn't end up in the show.

[Jimmy Fallon]

But you said you went skinny dipping. Well, does that mean no bathing suits?

[Mark Ronson]

Well, yeah, but they said skinny dipping. Sorry, I missed.

[Jimmy Fallon]

No, that's good. That's a good. It's a good curveball question to ask.

[Reese Witherspoon]

We had suits on when we walked down to the ocean and three of us took our suits off.

[Jimmy Fallon]

I don't know, man. I don't know. I don't know about. I don't know about this at all. I am not buying. I don't know, man. I'm feeling.

[Mark Ronson]

That sounds straight up dangerous.

[Jimmy Fallon]

It's dangerous.

[Reese Witherspoon]

One person did not get in because she was scared of sharks.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Who? Shailene.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Laura.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Jerk.

Really?

[Reese Witherspoon]

She's terrified of sharks and the ocean. She loves the ocean.

[Jimmy Fallon]

So she wouldn't get in.

[Reese Witherspoon]

She won't get in it.

[Mark Ronson]

I know it's tough.

[Jimmy Fallon]

I don't know because I've seen her act. She's very good.

[Mark Ronson]

Yeah.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Out of the three.

[Mark Ronson]

Very good acting.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Everybody on that show, actor out of the three of us. So get ready.

[Mark Ronson]

She's the best actor out of the three of us.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yes. Yes.

[Mark Ronson]

Out of the whole.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Out of the whole. All right. No, no, no, no. We both say no.

[Reese Witherspoon]

You didn't gosh darn it.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yeah.

[Reese Witherspoon]

I thought I was very.

[Jimmy Fallon]

You were amazing. No, you were very convincing.

You were. You almost had me. All right, great. It's my turn. Which envelope should I open? One or two? Okay. Okay, Here we go. Oh, sure. I almost died once on a mountaintop. Whoa. And Don Johnson saved my life.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Okay, where. What mountaintop were you on?

[Jimmy Fallon]

I was in Sun Valley.

[Reese Witherspoon]

What was Don Johnson wearing?

[Jimmy Fallon]

Full on ski outfit.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Ski outfit? Outfit?

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yeah, like your normal ski outfit.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Okay.

[Jimmy Fallon]

I met him at the lodge.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Were you skiing with him or you just happened into him?

[Jimmy Fallon]

Guy stomped up to me and said, jimmy Fallon. Don Johnson. I go. And I looked at his face. He's good looking. Dude, it's John Don Johnson.

[Mark Ronson]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Hey, bud, what are you doing? I'm here at the fam. Blah, blah, blah. And he goes, do you want. You want to run a couple trails with me? Next thing I know, I go, sure. I go to my wife, she's like, no, you go, I got the kids.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Yeah.

[Jimmy Fallon]

I go with Don Johnson to a vip. We went on a gondola. We went on a secret. We kept going up. We went through the clouds. I saw my dead grandmother waving at me with Abraham Lincoln. Abraham Lincoln next to her. And Marilyn Monroe going, good luck. I go, dude, this is getting scary. I can't do this. Too much for me. I didn't do that bad the first part. So I got. Okay. So I got off the first part. I go, great. And then we turned this corner and then it was just. Hell. Okay.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Okay.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Hell on earth.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Hell. What happened? How did he save your life?

[Jimmy Fallon]

So he saved my life because I refused to ski down the mountain.

[Mark Ronson]

You were so scared.

[Jimmy Fallon]

I couldn't do it.

[Reese Witherspoon]

So he married you? Like, bodyguard style.

[Jimmy Fallon]

He got a little. A little upset. He said, no, you can get down. You can do this. And I go, no. I go, I think you should go down ahead of me. Call the ski patrol. Send up a helicopter or something. Chopper me out of here. Whatever. You gotta uber, uber helicopter. Get me outta here. I cannot go down this mountain. And he called me an F and P word.

[Mark Ronson]

That tracks.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Don Johnson.

[Mark Ronson]

Yeah.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Who's the nicest guy?

[Mark Ronson]

If Don Johnson were here.

[Reese Witherspoon]

F and P word.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yes. He definitely, definitely called me an F and P word. And I was actually crying when he did. Almost. And I was like, dude, shield, get the snowmobile up and get me out off this mountain.

[Mark Ronson]

I mean, some of it is just lunacy. I don't even know.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Not true.

[Mark Ronson]

Not true.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Because you're right. It's not true.

That was the best acting I've ever done in my life.

[Reese Witherspoon]

That was so good.

[Mark Ronson]

It could have gone either way.

[Jimmy Fallon]

All right. All right. Good stuff. Mark, it's your turn. I'm ready to say you're lying. I think one.

[Mark Ronson]

Okay, one.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Mark Ronson]

One of my earliest childhood memories is of Robin Williams tucking me into bed.

[Jimmy Fallon]

He has crazy stories. I mean, not this crazy.

[Mark Ronson]

No, I mean, some. Some are crazy now.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Robin Williams tucking you into bed?

[Mark Ronson]

Yeah.

[Jimmy Fallon]

So I'm assuming. Where were you?

[Mark Ronson]

I was in my bedroom.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Okay.

[John Marco Sorese]

So where was your house?

[Mark Ronson]

In my parents house. It was in London.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Why was Robin Williams at your house?

[Mark Ronson]

My parents were young and they liked to have a lot of parties in their house. And there were just. There were just people all coming into my bedroom all night.

[Jimmy Fallon]

And what did he say? What did Robin Williams say when he tucked you in?

[Mark Ronson]

Well, he didn't say anything at first. He was just kind of smiling. And then when he left, I was like, robin, you forgot, you know, da, da. And he turned around, he was like, nanu nanu.

[Jimmy Fallon]

He did not.

He did not do nanu nanu. That is morgue. And by the way. No, this is how you do nanu nanu.

[Mark Ronson]

That's what I meant. I did.

[Jimmy Fallon]

No, you did. You did that. Yeah. So he would do nanu nanu and do that.

[Reese Witherspoon]

That took a morgue nanu.

[Jimmy Fallon]

I don't understand. I don't think this is. He did nanu nan and I was.

[Mark Ronson]

I just stripped it back to sleep and it was magical.

[Jimmy Fallon]

It didn't happen.

[Reese Witherspoon]

No, it didn't happen.

[Jimmy Fallon]

No, it didn't happen.

[Mark Ronson]

It did happen.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Wait, short.

Nanu nanu.

I didn't believe you. Unbelievable.

[Reese Witherspoon]

I didn't believe you.

[Jimmy Fallon]

It is in the book.

Oh, it is.

It is in the book.

[Mark Ronson]

It is in the book and it.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Is in the book.

My thanks to Reese Witherspoon, Mark Ronson. We're talking to Reese after the break. Stick around.

[The Roots (band members)]

The most beautiful creature that even know that. That we ever taken for leafa.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Our first guest is an Oscar and.

Golden Globe winning actress starring in the series the morning show. Season four premieres September 17th on Apple TV. Please welcome one of my favorites, Reese Witherspoo.

Welcome back.

I always love having you in. Thank you so much for coming back. I follow you on the socials and you're a great follow, but you posted something that I want to show everyone because I wouldn't dare do something like this. And that's kind of what I was thinking about your thing. I'm like you jumped off this giant cliff into the ocean.

[Reese Witherspoon]

I did.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Well, that's frightening.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Well, my child made me do it. I have my 12 year old and he and I were on like a mom son vacation. He was like, I want to jump off that cliff and I can only do it if you go up there with me and we're going to do it.

[Jimmy Fallon]

I just want to show the video because it's actually. Maybe talk us through it as we're looking at it.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Yeah, that cliff.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Frightening. Look at you. That's. How far up is that? Well, who knows?

[Reese Witherspoon]

I don't know. It's just they told me in meters because it was in Italy and I don't know how many meters.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Here you go.

But it was a lot of meters. Oh, my gosh, dude.

Wait, when did you. When did you think you go, hey, I love you, but I'm not doing this?

[Reese Witherspoon]

Well, he jumped right before me. So I had a kid in the water. So you're seeing the tail end. I stood there for three solid minutes going, I'm not gonna do this. Yeah, I'm not gonna do this.

[Jimmy Fallon]

I'm not gonna do this.

[Reese Witherspoon]

I'm not gonna do this. I think I'm gonna throw up. I can't do this.

[John Marco Sorese]

Oh, my God.

[Jimmy Fallon]

That was a high cliff.

[Reese Witherspoon]

I know.

[Jimmy Fallon]

That's bonkers.

[Reese Witherspoon]

But then I was like, oh, crap, fine, I'm just gonna do it. He was like, mom, come on.

[Jimmy Fallon]

And now you're the coolest mom ever.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Well, I didn't want him to be, you know, 50 years old, sitting with his wife somewhere.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yeah, my mom never.

[Reese Witherspoon]

My mother just never did anything with me.

[Jimmy Fallon]

She never took any chances.

[Reese Witherspoon]

This one time we were in Italy and jumped all the cliffs together. And she said, no.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yeah. No. Now he's like, my mom is the coolest. She always did the coolest stuff. Last time you were here, we talked about this. Speaking of cool stuff, you were talking about your writing your own novel.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Yes, right.

[Jimmy Fallon]

And now it's.

And I wrote it.

It's actually coming out.

And it's coming out. Reese, let's talk about this.

[Reese Witherspoon]

I am.

[Jimmy Fallon]

I'm freaking out.

I'm super excited about this. Gone before goodbye. Wait, wait. Talk to me about this. It's real. It's real.

[Reese Witherspoon]

I can't believe it's real either. I got it. I was like, oh, my God, I can't believe this is real. I know. Well, I thought about this character for probably two and a half, three years, and then she's a surgeon. And my dad was a surgeon in the military. And she's a surgeon in the military. And so I had all this inspiration from my par growing up, and then I started learning all about this world of private doctors who've traveled to foreign countries to do illegal surgery. And so she gets hired to go to Russia to do a surgery on a very wealthy man and his girlfriend, and she gets stuck in an international world of corruption and greed.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yes.

[Reese Witherspoon]

And manipulation.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yes. That's what I'm talking about. Gone before. Goodbye.

I'm so excited about this.

[Reese Witherspoon]

And one of my dearest friends, Harlan Coban, he was my co author, and we did this together, and it was so fun.

[Jimmy Fallon]

You just spend, like, hours and days and months and I mean.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Yes. And sitting in rooms and hitting problems and not having to do it with this character or that character. And it was a lot like jumping off the cliff. Yeah, it was very similar.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yeah. And you're like, I'm just gonna. It's tough.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Oh, well, you're just gonna do it.

[Jimmy Fallon]

But you loved it. You said it's. It was the best.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Had the best time.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Congratulations.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Thank you.

[Jimmy Fallon]

I'm so excited about this. Would this ever be made into a movie? Maybe starring.

I don't know. Really?

[Reese Witherspoon]

I mean, first people have to read it, and if you like it, then we'll figure out if it's a movie or not.

[Jimmy Fallon]

I think we're gonna like this. I also want to say the Internet was abuzz today because any Big little lies fans. There was an announcement that maybe something has been signed. Maybe a writer has kind of signed. Are you working on season three?

[Reese Witherspoon]

We might be working on season three.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Like, is it happening? Is it happening?

[Reese Witherspoon]

Yeah. I mean, they're writing it.

[Jimmy Fallon]

It's happening. Oh, my God. Good. All right. Good. I love this. All right. Fun, fun, fun. All right.

[Reese Witherspoon]

It's exciting, too. Just to get the gang back together and have everybody start talking about it. And I love it. It's really fun.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Oh, my gosh. Very great. All right, now let's talk a minute.

[Reese Witherspoon]

It's been 10 years. No, it's been about 10 years. Maybe nine years.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Really?

[Reese Witherspoon]

Yeah. And all those little kids were in second grade. They're all teenagers now.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Seems like just yesterday that being a.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Mom of a teenager.

[Jimmy Fallon]

It's a lot.

[Mark Ronson]

Yeah.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Is a lot of big little lies.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yeah. Yeah. I want to talk about the morning show. It's one of my faves. We just had Billy Crudup on the show. Who we love. It's you, Jennifer Aniston. Who I. Gosh. We love Jennifer Aniston. By the way here's you guys working together. This is on friends 25 years ago. Did you even realize that one day you'll end up producing and being a show?

No.

[Reese Witherspoon]

The fact that, like, this person that I met when I was 23 years old and now we are, you know, producers together, co stars together. We're, like, dealing with HR issues together.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Of course you are. Yeah.

[Reese Witherspoon]

It's amazing. It's so much fun. We have the best time.

[Jimmy Fallon]

It's a great show. Season four, what do we have? What's happening this year?

[Reese Witherspoon]

Okay, well, this year we have a lot of really amazing guest stars. We have Jeremy Irons and we have Marion Cotillard who comes in and her family owns the network and she's very manipulative. I love Marianne, and so her and Jen have all this great stuff. And then I get to work with Billy Crudup again, who's amazing. Mark Duplass. There's some secret guest stars that we can talk about.

[Jimmy Fallon]

I just love.

[Reese Witherspoon]

I love how Jon Hamm is back.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yes. That's what we wanted. Come on, Jon. Jon Hamm is my dude is the.

[Reese Witherspoon]

Billionaire we love to hate.

[Jimmy Fallon]

We love him. It's the best. And it's very. I love the show. It's very topical, too, of what's actually happening in the world today. Yeah, it's very relevant. The writing is fantastic on this and so I'm looking forward to this.

Reese Witherspoon, everybody. Season four of the Morning show premieres September 17th on Apple TV. More tonight's show after the break. Stick around, everybody.

[The Roots (band members)]

And you're approached with caution. Be cautious. You talking to Paul's. It's like a method with metamorphosis.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Our next guest is a Grammy and.

Oscar winning songwriter and producer whose new book night how to be a DJ in 90s New York City is out September 16th. Please welcome Mark Ronto.

Welcome back.

Always good to see you, buddy. And we got to get into this book. Congratulations on this. It's a big deal. Thank you so much.

[Mark Ronson]

Thank you.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Last time you were on the show, we were talking about your stepdad's band, Foreigner. Yes. And how you were trying to get them nominated for. To be in the Rock and Roll hall of Fame.

[Mark Ronson]

Yeah. And you were a huge part of helping that because they came on and we. And we showed a video of Sir Paul McCartney who's cursing.

[Jimmy Fallon]

You got Paul McCartney to say, why are they not in the.

[Mark Ronson]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Jimmy Fallon]

What do fuck. What the f. Why are they not on the rock and roll. And now we can say Foreigner is in the Rock and Roll hall of Fame, dude.

Lamont, congrats. Congrats.

Foreigner. What was that? What was that night like, man?

[Mark Ronson]

You know, when I found out they got in, I just. I guess because it was my stepdad. He's just done so much for me. Such a huge influence. I was so much more excited when they got in than any other award or anything I ever got. Like, I just. I actually broke down and cried when I found out that they got in. And so on the night I went to Cleveland, my stepdad, he has Parkinson's, so his health isn't that great, so he didn't get to come out. But he stayed at home and he celebrated with the family, and they watched it on tv. But it was. It was really lovely picture of him.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Enjoy watching the ceremony with his family right there. Come on, man. But that's fantastic.

Congrats, Mick.

[Mark Ronson]

Yeah, that's funny.

[Jimmy Fallon]

And now I saw a picture post online that said, oh, it's from Foreigner. And they said, open letter to Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce. Dear Taylor and Travis, we know what love is. We spent 40 years figuring it out. And now you guys have two. Please accept this as a formal offer to be your wedding band. Best witches. Foreigner. That's a new campaign. Yeah, yeah, we have a whole new campaign.

[Mark Ronson]

We need to get McCartney on that campaign. And while we're here, if you guys need to DJ Travis and Taylor.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yeah, exactly. Yeah. If you need a comedian to go as well, I can do some stand up.

[Mark Ronson]

Let's all get on that way.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Let's all get on that.

[John Marco Sorese]

Yeah.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Night, people. Congrats, bud. You wrote a book. This is. This is fantastic, by the way. The first chapter gets you right into this world. I met you when you were a DJ.

[Mark Ronson]

Yeah.

[Jimmy Fallon]

And producer. But you were DJing club. In fact, I saw you a couple.

[Mark Ronson]

Months ago at a club you came down to. Kind regards. But Jimmy used to come to my gig. Like, this is, like in the early 2000s. And, you know, we'd all leave the club at the end of the night, and people would be like, is that Jimmy Fallon carrying his crates of records? Like you were.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yeah, I used to carry. You had milk. Crates of records. We put it in your buddy's car.

[Mark Ronson]

It was amazing.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Or cab or whatever it was.

[Mark Ronson]

Yeah.

[Jimmy Fallon]

But it was like. But this sets it up. The first chapter, you're like. You're at a party, someone's playing the thing, it's not working. Then you're like, you pull out your phone and then you take out that. What's it take? The ox, the aux cord.

[Mark Ronson]

You know, I think everybody's like, either been in a party and, like, been like, I could play better music than this. Have you guys ever been in a party or been in the club and been like, man, I know what would really set this place off. So I wanted to, like, start off the book with that feeling, because it's like, everybody knows what that sensation is like to play a record, to set a room alive. So I wanted to, like, relate it to everybody before I got into my story.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yeah, it got me right in. I'm like, I've been there. And I go, but I've seen you, and I've seen you work your magic. It's actually unbelievable. When I was around that time, I didn't really know what a DJ really was. I go, oh, they're just playing songs. It's not that hard. I don't know what the big deal is. I'm so wrong. I apologize. I was way.

[Mark Ronson]

You have one of the greatest DJs.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yeah, Questlove is amazing. It's hard right there, but no mixing, but also beats per minute. I don't know anything about that. And also, what is gonna get the crowd going and keep them going and keep the party happening? When did you realize that? When did you start getting, like, Your brand of DJing, your style?

[Mark Ronson]

I think that, you know, when I started off, and this is like in the 90s, actually, the first time I ever DJed was at my parents wedding when I was 10 years old. But this was just because. Well, I mean, sort of. So they had this wedding, and it was in this, like, little garden. And my stepdad, they were just playing, like, some tapes and stuff. And all of a sudden, as the sun went down, the music just stopped. And my stepdad Mick, who you saw, turned like, mal, go put something on. And I was just so excited to that level of responsibility in music. And I was so crazy about it. So I ran in the house. I'm looking through all these tapes and stuff, and I'm like, no, it's too bluesy. Like, whatever. I mean, I was 10 years old. What did I know? And I see timepieces, the best of Eric Clapton. I'm like, ah, that wonderful tonight. Like, even at 10 years old, I somehow knew that, like, okay, it's a wedding. I gotta play, like, a slow jam or something. And so I quickly put it on. And I remember the song started playing, and I remember having this rush of, like, my music is playing outdoors and all these people are listening to it. And then my stepdad brings my mom in for this, like, little slow dance. And there was this moment that I was just like. It was the first time in my life I felt like I did something right, you know, Like, I really did.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Like, I'm good at this. I did this. I'm good at this.

[Mark Ronson]

Yeah. And so, I mean, Obviously it's like 10 years later and I started DJing in clubs in New York. And I guess the first thing that I ever did that set me apart from all the other DJs that I kind of looked up to. Funk Master Flex, Stretch Armstrong, all the great New York DJs, was one night I played AC DC back in black at this like super amazing hip hop party where they didn't play anything like that, you know, And I had this idea to play rock music. They didn't play rock music, anything like that. And playing the kind of wrong record in a place like that, you could get like a bottle thrown at the booth or worse. Like, it was not a place to. No, you don't experiment.

[Jimmy Fallon]

No, you don't use for experimentation.

[Mark Ronson]

I was like, I have to do this. You know, it became this obsessive thought. So I was playing the biggest song of the time, the Benjamins, you know, by Biggie and Puff and I. It's playing, it's playing and it's going. And it's all about the Ben ga na na.

[Jimmy Fallon]

No. Did you get thrown out?

[Mark Ronson]

I got a bottle thrown at me.

[Jimmy Fallon]

No.

[Mark Ronson]

The whole crowd. There's like the split second, like the movie, where everybody pauses and you don't know which way it's going to go. And then just the whole club comes, got set alight. And it was like, you know, the bigger the risk, the bigger the reward. It was this lovely moment. And from that moment I started playing all this, you know, all rock and roll, hip hop, all this stuff. And I became known as sort of that guy in New York. And that was, you know, I mean.

[Jimmy Fallon]

That'S one of the stories of the many stories in here. That's crazy. I mean, you got to play Biggie before it even got released. Yeah, like, the label would give you stuff to play at clubs just to see how the reaction would be.

[Mark Ronson]

Yeah, it was crazy. I mean, I just sound like such an old guy. And I did just turn 50, so I am an old guy. There were these times when, like, you could only hear a certain record, you know, before the Internet, if you would go see the DJs that had that record. And I was playing this great party on a Tuesday. So the guy from the record company came to me and brought me. He's like, I have the brand new Biggie song. Like, I have to take it to Funk Master Flex in five minutes, but I can give it to you right now. So I played it and I kind of hear it in the headphones and I like, cue it up. And I've never even heard it before. It's hypnotized, you know, And I just throw it on and the whole club is like, you know how hypnotized. Boom.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Ah.

[Mark Ronson]

It sounds like a meteor hitting the club. And everybody. 500 people are hearing this song for the first time, knowing that they're, like, experiencing history and everybody connected by this experience. So there were really some amazing things about getting to be a DJ in that era. And I kind of wanted to, you know, put them down in this book along with some other stuff.

[Jimmy Fallon]

I always love seeing you, but I know what that's like. I kind of get nervous for you when I see you dj when I was. Cause I was like, that's my friend. I want you to score. And when you have a giant banger somewhere, it's like, oh, that's awesome. I'm like, get out, get out, Mark. Go. Leave, leave. Get out. And close the doors. Night's over, everybody. We had a great. And then you're like, dude, I got another hour. I have to follow that song with another song and another song. And I'm like, it's too stressful for me. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And you always do it and you always show up and you always destroy. Love you, bud. Congrats on the book. Mark Ronson, everybody.

Night, people. How to be a DJ in 90s New York City is out September 16th. We'll be right back, everybody.

[The Roots (band members)]

Love the kids on Tumble. No alarm. Back to back, no skip.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Our next guest has his comedy special.

Thief of Joy, premiering September 19th on YouTube, making his Tonight show debut. Please welcome the very funny John Marcos Heresi.

Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you.

[John Marco Sorese]

I appreciate it. Real quick, I'm gonna talk a lot about my girlfriend tonight. And I just wanna be careful because I think what happens with a lot of male comedians is they'll notice something about their girlfriend, and then when they're on stage, they act like that specific trait applies to the entire gender. So I just want to be clear. All the jokes tonight are about my girlfriend, and I don't want to use her real name. So let's just call her women.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Women. Hear me out.

[John Marco Sorese]

Please, please, please. Women are Jewish, and mine is no exception to the rule, and it's fine. I'm also Jewish, although I was raised more culturally Jewish, which means I have all the anxiety of regular Judaism, but without the comfort of God. We're both in therapy, which is nice because it means when my girlfriend and I have a disagreement, instead of arguing like some couples, we just see our respective therapists reconvene and quote them at each other. She'll be like, my therapist says you prioritize work over spending quality time together. I'm like, okay, well, my therapist says she could beat the crap out of your therapist. She started the therapy because she has night terrors, which is a real thing. My girlfriend, she was diagnosed with chronic night terrors after she was mugged at knifepoint. That's how we met. And if you've. It's. It's very serious. If you've never dealt with someone whose chronic night terrors, what it means we'll both be asleep. Middle of the night. My girlfriend will just be like, someone's breaking in. And I'm like, where? And she's like, right back to sleep. But not me. I have chronic anxiety, so I'm awake the rest of the night, making me the only victim of both our mental disorders. And she's been to doctor, she's tried medication, hypnosis. Nothing works. I just have to accept the fact that I share a bed with a malfunctioning police scanner, and I've gotten pretty good at recognizing, oh, she's having a night terror. If I ignore it, she usually just falls back to sleep on her own. But then once in the middle of the night, my girlfriend literally started packing her things in a suitcase. I looked at my phone, four in the morning. I was like, baby, you're having a night terror. She was like, no, I'm not having a night terror. I just got a text that my dad is in the hospital. I need to go to the airport right now. So, of course I got up. I turned on the light. I was like, which airport? She was like.

[Jimmy Fallon]

I was like, son of a bitch.

[John Marco Sorese]

For getting smarter. I am her first major, like, relationship. So she talks to me romantically in a way that you really only do in your first time. She turns to me and is like, you're my person. And I'm like, and you're last but not least, because I have been through a breakup before. And when the last woman who said she'd love you forever blocks you on Skype, it changes your insides A little bit. I had another girlfriend. We started dating when I was 18. And after five years together, she broke up with me at a crowded Starbucks in the middle of the day. And I was like, why would you do this here? And she was like, because I didn't want you to make a scene. And I was like, well, then you shouldn't have brought an audience. This happened in 2012, so it's still a little bit raw. But modern technology made breaking up so much worse, especially texting. I mean, like back in the day, if you mailed your ex a letter and she never responded, yeah, it sucked. But at least the mailman never came back with the letter. Like, she read it. Her name was is Laura. And I was so desperate to win Laura back, I got a tattoo of the first letter of her name. If you can't see that, it's a cursive L for Laura. And it didn't work. She married someone else. And I have to tell every woman I date about my dead friend Larry. Unfortunately, my current girlfriend knows what the L actually stands for, which is my fault for dating an audience member. But I had thought she was fine with it. I thought she was cool. But then something clicked. I think it was our fourth anniversary. Something clicked with my girlfriend. She said, look, I've been thinking about it. If you don't make plans to get rid of that Elle tattoo or cover it up with something, I don't think we can stay together. And I was like, honey, what about my Larry joke? She was not persuaded. So I decided to compromise. I went to her and I said, sweetheart, let me figure out a way where I can do the Tonight show and I can tell my tattoo joke on tv. And I promised her if that doesn't win Laura back, I will get it removed the very next day. Thank you very much. My name is Jamar Serezi.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Fantastic. John Marco Cereze, Thief of joy is available on YouTube September 19th. We'll be right back, everybody. Come on.

[The Roots (band members)]

As we continue on.

[Jimmy Fallon]

My thanks to Reese Witherspoon, Mark Ronson, John Marcos Heresi, and the roots right there from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Good night, everybody. Thank get into it, do it, get into it Hang out of city just.

[The Roots (band members)]

Let you know that's right Start the.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Show hard working Mr. Dynamite.

Work, work, work, work, work, work, work.

Yeah, baby.

[The Roots (band members)]

Get involved.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Get, get. Thanks for listening to the Tonight show starring Jimmy Fallon. Don't forget to subscribe to get the latest episodes weekday mornings. Wherever you get your podcasts, watch the Tonight show starring Jimmy Fallon weeknights on NBC and streaming on Peacock.