The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

Episode: Trump and Musk Endorse Cuomo in NYC Mayoral Race as Trump's Approval Rating Plummets to Record Low | Rami Malek, Rachel Sennott, Julius Randle, Nick Murphy
Original Air Date: November 5, 2025

Overview

This lively episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon blends political satire, celebrity interviews, games, and stand-up comedy. Jimmy’s monologue tackles election news with a focus on surprising endorsements in the NYC mayoral race and Trump’s plunging poll numbers. Later, guests Rami Malek, Rachel Sennott, Julius Randle, and comedian Nick Murphy join Jimmy for spirited chats about their latest projects, quirky personal stories, and sharp comedy routines.

Main Segments & Discussion Highlights

1. Election Day Monologue – Political Satire

[01:13 – 02:34]

• Jimmy riffs on NYC’s mayoral election, contrasting candidate names for comedic effect.
• Jokes about high-profile endorsements for Andrew Cuomo by both Elon Musk and Donald Trump, poking fun at the notion that sometimes endorsements aren’t helpful.
• Skewers Trump’s record-low approval rating (37%), humorously suggesting Trump’s indifference to the bad news.

Notable Quote:

• Jimmy Fallon (on Cuomo’s endorsements): “Right before the election, Elon Musk endorsed Andrew Cuomo for mayor. Or as Cuomo put it, not helping. Meanwhile, President Trump also endorsed Andrew Cuomo. And Cuomo's like, okay, that's enough endorsements. Okay, we have Charles Manson on the phone. No, no, no more endorsements.” [01:30]

2. Playful Banter: “Dancing with the Stars” Wordplay

[02:34 – 04:16]

• Jimmy and his sidekick launch into a rapid-fire, pun-filled riff, riffing off the phrase “Dancing with the Stars” with a string of clever misinterpretations and wordplay.
• The bit draws laughter by stretching logic to connect to everything from “panting really hard” to “prancing with Jafar.”

Memorable Moment:

• The bit’s escalation, culminating with:
  • Sidekick: “When Trump slides into Putin’s DMs, that’s…”
  • Jimmy: “Romancing with the Czar.” [03:32]

3. Holiday Announcements & Subway Gags

[04:27 – 06:52]

• Jimmy announces his new SiriusXM holiday radio channel and references his ‘Holiday Seasoning’ album, sprinkling in festive humor.
• Subway’s new "ter hamkin" sandwich is lampooned as “a combo of turkey, ham, and chicken. The ter hamkin features three types of meat, just like their tuna.” [04:27]
• Quick joke about Blimpy’s “ter Jerkzen” (turkey, beef jerky, and zin pouches).

4. “Three Simple Steps” Comedy Segment

[07:00 – 10:32]

• Jimmy, joined by Nick Murphy and others, breaks down everyday tasks (ordering an Uber, going to a destination wedding, setting up a Tinder profile, Ikea furniture, etc.) into three comically simple steps.
• Highlights include mocking the unreliability of Uber ETAs, the perils of destination weddings (“just send a blender and say you got Covid” [08:34]), and the classic Tinder trick of picking your least attractive friend for a profile pic.

Notable Quotes:

• Jimmy Fallon: “Step three, wait 19 minutes. It’s very—it’s simple.” [08:02]
• Jimmy Fallon: “Step three, add a photo of you next to your ugliest friend.” [08:53]

5. Rami Malek Interview

[11:07 – 18:07]

NBA Fandom & Personal Hobbies [11:20 – 12:33]

• Rami reveals his NBA fandom, love for Showtime-era Lakers, and recounts going to Knicks games with Spike Lee.

Reflecting on “Mr. Robot” [12:40 – 14:52]

• On the show’s 10th anniversary, Rami expresses gratitude for the groundbreaking role, shares the story of the “audition” for his character’s hoodie (“I tried on about, like, 55, 60 of them”—[13:38]), and gifting the original hoodie to creator Sam Esmail.

New Film “Nuremberg” [14:56 – 18:07]

• Discusses his new historical thriller, working with Russell Crowe (“I think it’s one of his finest performances”—[17:14]), Michael Shannon, and John Slattery.
• Explains the gravity and surprising levity in the film, based on a real story involving a psychiatrist assessing Nazi commanders’ sanity before the Nuremberg Trials.

Notable Quotes:

• Jimmy Fallon: “This year marks the 10th anniversary, if you can believe it or not, of Mr. Robot, which was a breakthrough role for you. Ten years later, what are your thoughts on that show?” [12:40]
• Rami Malek: “…it was just a seminal part of my life. I mean, I never thought that I would ever be the lead in a TV show…” [12:54]
• Rami Malek (on “Nuremberg”): “So it's this real cat and mouse thriller...and then you get into the courtroom scenes with Shannon going against Crow, and it's just a battle back and forth...” [17:14]

6. Rachel Sennott Interview

[18:30 – 31:26]

Astrology & Birth Chart Banter [19:00 – 23:10]

• Jimmy and Rachel bond as "birthday twins" (both born September 19th), with Rachel, an astrology enthusiast, reading Jimmy’s chart.
• Rachel explains the concept of “stelliums” and “Scorpio rising” (“Scorpios are intense and sexual. Sexy. Yeah. Scorpio’s are intense and sexy...if you’re a Scorpio rising, that means you come off as intense and sexy…” [21:51])

Creating and Releasing “I Love L.A.” [23:19 – 31:05]

• Rachel describes the chaos of producing, writing, and starring in her new HBO series, likening the process to “giving birth” while still editing episodes.
• Colorful premiere party anecdotes, including her parents attending and a tattooed cast afterparty:
  • “At the beginning of the party, we were like, no one's gonna get a tattoo. Like, no one's getting a tattoo. And then in the last hour of the party, everybody got tattoos.” [27:12]
• Describes the show as “Entourage for Internet it girls.” [31:09]

7. Julius Randle Interview

[32:13 – 36:34]

New Baby & Shark Diving [32:19 – 33:48]

• Julius welcomes a baby girl, jokes about her “running the house,” and recounts swimming with sharks—a challenge inspired by Kobe Bryant:
  • “He used to go to South Africa and he used to dive, swim with the great whites and stuff like that. So we used to talk about it all the time.” [33:37]

Timberwolves & Anthony Edwards [34:09 – 35:41]

• Praise for teammate Anthony Edwards’ authenticity and leadership:
  • “He is who he is. Every single day, he is who he is...He was the first dude running up to me, hugging me, acting like he hit the shot. He was the biggest cheerleader celebrating me like no other.” [34:35]
• Playful discussion about the new Timberwolves “trees” jersey, gifts one to Jimmy, and shares their handshake.

8. Nick Murphy Stand-Up Set

[37:20 – 42:18]

• Nick's comedy covers viral video fame (“I just had a video go for 10 million views on social media...Did not know that cop was wearing a body cam” [37:20]), flight delays, modern dating, and his former job as a pharmacy technician.
• Mocks the absurdity of customer interactions at the pharmacy and his own financial evolution.
• Ends on a classic pharmacy joke:
  • “Guy would come up and be like, 'Hey, I see I can drink this cough syrup, but would it work faster, in your opinion, if I was to inject the syrup directly into my veins?' and I would have to look at that guy and go, 'Let me check with the pharmacist...'” [42:18]

Notable Quotes & Standout Moments (w/ Timestamps)

• Jimmy Fallon on Cuomo’s awkward endorsements:
  • “And Cuomo's like, okay, that's enough endorsements. Okay, we have Charles Manson on the phone.” [01:38]
• Rami Malek’s “Mr. Robot” hoodie saga:
  • “I had this hoodie that I got from Goodwill for 10 bucks…I did the surreptitious thing of just walking through the production office…He goes, 'no, that's exactly what I want.’” [14:11]
• Rachel Sennott on astrology as self-affirmation:
  • “If it works for you, it's true. If it doesn't, release it.” [19:40]
  • “Scorpios are intense and sexual. Sexy.” [21:51]
• Julius Randle on Anthony Edwards’ leadership:
  • “He was the biggest cheerleader celebrating me like no other. You know what I mean?…as incredible of a talent as he is, to be that invested in his teammates, that says a lot about the human being.” [34:35]
• Nick Murphy on his pharmacy job:
  • “…Used to work in pharmacy…This is totally true. Ten years ago, as a pharmacy technician, I was making $9 an hour. Okay, here I stand before you guys. Tonight I do stand up comedy full time. Okay, Done. Now I make about half that.” [40:59]

Timestamps for Major Segments

• [01:13] – Election Monologue
• [02:34] – “Dancing with the Stars” Wordplay
• [04:27] – Subway/Blimpy Gags & Holiday Announcements
• [07:00] – “Three Simple Steps” Comedy Bit
• [11:07] – Rami Malek Interview Start
  • [12:40] – “Mr. Robot” Discussion
  • [14:56] – “Nuremberg” Film Deep Dive
• [18:30] – Rachel Sennott Interview Start
  • [19:00] – Astrology Chart
  • [23:19] – “I Love L.A.” Stories
• [32:13] – Julius Randle Interview
• [37:20] – Nick Murphy Stand-Up

Tone & Style

The episode maintains Jimmy Fallon’s trademark blend of quick wit, lighthearted banter, and a warm, inclusive atmosphere. The guests match his playful energy, diving into personal stories and light self-deprecation. Wordplay and audience interactions amplify the late-night, feel-good vibe, making even weighty topics accessible and engaging.

Conclusion

This Tonight Show episode delivers on news satire, celebrity insights, and laugh-out-loud moments. Whether you’re intrigued by Rami Malek’s reflections, Rachel Sennott’s “birth chart” banter, Julius Randle’s shark encounters, or Nick Murphy’s pharmacy punchlines, it’s an hour packed with energy, humor, and human connection. Perfect for listeners who want both star power and sharp, accessible comedy.