Trump Fires Mike Waltz After Group Chat Leak | Rory McIlroy, Penn Badgley | Thursday, May 1

Summary

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon – Episode Summary
Episode Title: Trump Fires Mike Waltz After Group Chat Leak | Rory McIlroy, Penn Badgley
Release Date: May 2, 2025

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1. Opening Monologue

[00:05 – 06:26]

Jimmy Fallon kicks off the show with his signature humor, blending current events with playful satire. He begins by highlighting the excitement surrounding the upcoming 151st Kentucky Derby, humorously comparing the winning horse's future to that of "the horse version of Elon Musk." Fallon pokes fun at various sponsor slogans, including playful jabs at companies like Subway and Uber, creating a light-hearted atmosphere.

Transitioning to political news, Fallon addresses the recent developments in Washington. He discusses President Trump's decision to remove National Security Advisor Mike Waltz from a group chat following a leak. Fallon humorously critiques Trump's new news website, "White House Wire," presenting fabricated headlines such as "Trump takes nude stroll" and "Trump single-handedly defeats a gorilla in the octagon," suggesting the stories are blatantly fake.

Notable Quote:

• Jimmy Fallon [03:09]: "President Trump fired his national security advisor, Mike Waltz... but he was removed from the group chat."

2. Musical Performance by The Roots

[17:03 – 27:27]

The Roots take the stage, delivering an energetic performance that sets a vibrant tone for the evening. Their dynamic rhythms and engaging stage presence captivate the audience, showcasing their musical prowess and complementing Fallon's lively introduction.

3. Interview with Rory McIlroy

[09:32 – 18:53]

Rory McIlroy, the celebrated golfer, joins Fallon to discuss his historic win at the Masters, where he achieved a career Grand Slam—becoming only the sixth golfer to do so. McIlroy reflects on his journey, emphasizing resilience and perseverance after 17 attempts.

Key Topics:

• Career Grand Slam Achievement: McIlroy shares his emotional journey, highlighting the significance of winning the Masters after 17 tries.
• Mindset and Strategy: He explains his approach during the tournament, focusing on his performance rather than competitors'.
• Personal Life: McIlroy touches on his relaxation techniques, such as watching "Bridgerton" and "Zootopia" with his family to stay grounded.
• Celebrity Interactions: He mentions receiving congratulations from notable figures like Sir Elton John and Tigres (Tiger Woods), underlining the impact of his achievement.

Notable Quotes:

• Rory McIlroy [12:05]: "I think there's a good message in there about never giving up and keep coming back and be strong, be resilient."
• Jimmy Fallon [11:19]: "You're a man of your words. Congratulations on the Masters."

Humorous Moments:

• McIlroy discusses his experience collaborating with Adam Sandler on "Happy Gilmore 2," blending sports with comedy.
• Fallon humorously navigates McIlroy's experiences, enhancing the interview's relatability and entertainment value.

4. Interview with Penn Badgley

[28:37 – 26:56]

Penn Badgley, known for his role as Joe Goldberg in Netflix's "You," appears as the second guest. The conversation delves into both his professional achievements and personal milestones.

Key Topics:

• Expecting Twins: Badgley announces that he and his wife are expecting identical twin boys, sharing heartfelt reflections on this significant life event.
• Clarifying Personal Information: He addresses misinformation regarding his children's names on Wikipedia, emphasizing the importance of privacy.
• "You" Season 5: Discussing the final season, Badgley elaborates on the character development and the challenges of portraying a complex antagonist.
• Celebrity Friendships: He highlights his friendship with Ariana Grande, praising her humility and talent, and recounts their collaborative moments.
• Acting Challenges: Badgley shares insights into the physical and emotional demands of his role, particularly in the final episodes that showcase heightened intensity.

Notable Quotes:

• Penn Badgley [21:07]: "Sir Elton would love to congratulate you in person. The only problem is he doesn't have a cell phone."
• Jimmy Fallon [24:37]: "You're doing a great job."
• Penn Badgley [27:35]: "And I'm saying everything like this."

Humorous Moments:

• Fallon and Badgley engage in playful banter about the challenges of celebrity life and the humorous side of correcting misinformation.
• The light-hearted exchange about Ariana Grande and the playful mockery of baby name confusions add a charming dynamic to the interview.

5. Closing Remarks

Fallon wraps up the episode by highlighting upcoming guests and performances, ensuring viewers remain engaged and excited for future episodes. He expresses gratitude to both Rory McIlroy and Penn Badgley for their insightful and entertaining appearances, ending the show on a high note.

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Conclusion

This episode of "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" successfully combines humor, celebrity interviews, and engaging performances. Fallon adeptly balances current events with personal stories from his guests, providing a rich and entertaining experience. Notable moments include Rory McIlroy's triumphant Masters win and Penn Badgley's heartfelt announcement of expecting twins, both delivered with warmth and authenticity. The inclusion of The Roots' musical performance further elevates the show's dynamic, offering viewers a well-rounded and captivating evening.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• Jimmy Fallon [03:09]: "President Trump fired his national security advisor, Mike Waltz... but he was removed from the group chat."
• Rory McIlroy [12:05]: "I think there's a good message in there about never giving up and keep coming back and be strong, be resilient."
• Penn Badgley [21:07]: "Sir Elton would love to congratulate you in person. The only problem is he doesn't have a cell phone."

Transcript

[Jimmy Fallon]

From Studio 6P in Rockefeller center in the heart of New York City, it's a Tonight show starring Jimmy Fallon. Hey, hey, hey, hey. Tonight, join Jimmy and his guest, Rory McElroy Penn Badgley. And featuring the legendary Roots Root 1228. And now, here he is, Jimmy Fall. Yes. Thank you. Oh. Enjoy yourself. Enjoy yourself. Welcome, everybody. Welcome, welcome, welcome to the Tonight Show. You here. It's an exciting time in the sports world because this Saturday is the Kentucky Derby. There's so much at stake. The winning horse gets to live a life of luxury and breed all day. It's pretty much like becoming the horse version of Elon Musk. You know, if you think about it, some horses running include American Promise, Journalism, Chunk of Gold, and Rodriguez. Or as one guy put it, you had me at American Promise. You lost me on Journalism, had me back a chunk of Gold and lost me again at Rodriguez. I'm sorry. Yeah. This weekend is the 151st Kentucky Derby. It is a big event, so I just wanted to take a quick moment to shout out all of the companies that are sponsoring the Derby. They've even got special slogans for the big day. For instance, there's Baby Gap. Jockey's got a shop somewhere. Next up, Listerine. Make the perfect mint julep in one easy step up next, subway. Saturday's loser is Sunday's tuna sub. Here's another one. Uber. If you want a bumpy ride that smells like a barn, why not try Uber. Next up, Ikea. We love anything with four legs and a weird name. Here's another Ozempic for when you want that horse face. Look Skippy. Making it look like horses can talk since 1933. Well, Wilbur. And finally hims. Not everything should be over in less than two minutes. That'd be a good race.

[Penn Badgley]

Very good.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Interesting. Some big news from Washington today. President Trump fired his national security advisor, Mike Waltz, the guy responsible for adding a reporter to a top secret text chain. Yeah, well, he's not fired, but he was removed from the group chat. Well, Trump must be upset over all the negative press he's been getting cuz he just launched his own news website similar to the Drudge Report to promote pro Trump stories. It's called White House Wire, but I think the stories are clearly made up. I mean, just look at some of the headlines. First up, there's Trump takes nude stroll. Wow. Mmm. Can't unsee that. You can't unsee that. No. Yeah. Then there's Trump successfully lands Air Force One in the Hudson. Come on. Oh, and finally there's Trump single handedly defeats a gorilla in the octagon. These feel like fake stories. That feels like not real. Well, we get this. I read that Trump's tariffs could cause a fireworks shortage for July 4th. Yep. So this year, look for a little more ooing and a little less ahhing. A little more. A little more. Ooh. There's a little less. Ah. Yeah, That's a thinker. Could be. Could be less oohing and more ahhing. Yeah, could be. You know, it depends where you're at. Yeah, yeah. What do you do? When do you see a. I go, oh, oh. Neither. Neither ooh nor ah. No, no, just you go, uh. Like you're confused of this. The technical nature of what's happening. Like, suddenly I'm looking at the sky. Uh, that's correct.

[Penn Badgley]

And then colors come up.

[Jimmy Fallon]

I don't know. I usually think I'm having a stroke. Ooh. Yeah. Fireworks shortage. The good news for Trump, his approval rating is now 100% with dogs than. No, don't. Not at the same time. Not at the same time. No. We do applause one at a time here at the Tonight Show. That's a rule. We've set precedent and that. We always keep it that way. Okay. Perfect smattering. Ooh. Ah. All right, there you go. Meanwhile, happy grammar. Welcome to tonight's show. Everyone to say aga. Welcome to the Tonight Show. That's a good. I love that. That's our cat phrase. Ah. Welcome to the Tonight Show. Ah. Meanwhile, due to Trump's tariffs, retailers are worried about toy shortages at Christmas. Yep. I think some toy companies are already preparing for it. You just. Ooh. Yeah. They had to. Ooh. They never. Yeah, they're good. They're good. They're faster than I thought. Yeah, it's that individual clap. Yeah, they oohed me there. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Check out this commercial I saw. I'm bored.

[Rory McIlroy]

I wish there was something to do.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Well, now there is. Introducing a brand new toy that you're going to love this season. It's air.

[Rory McIlroy]

Whoa.

[Jimmy Fallon]

My air's squishy. My air's bouncy. That's right, kids. Air comes in all shapes and sizes. It's from the makers who brought you fun thoughts. I'm thinking of a talking giraffe. I'm thinking of a roller coaster. Hey, let's imagine that giraffe riding the roller coaster in the air. Air. It's free. It's fun. It's air. Yeah, listen to this show's already off the rails. It's already off the complete rails. And I love it. That's a good crowd right there.

[Rory McIlroy]

Come on.

[Jimmy Fallon]

That's what I want. Off the rails. Yes. Why not? Have some fun. I love it. Well, listen to this. Apparently Elon Musk is stepping away from his work at the White House so he can focus on running Tesla. He was like, hmm, what's better? This dumpster fire or this dumpster fire? Since starting at Doge, Elon Musk has lost 25% of his fortune. And that's just in child support. Well, some business news. The CEO of Zinn is now arguing that nicotine has misunderstood and has cognitive benefits. Yeah, every time I see a guy spitting in the street, I think, oh, that's a beautiful mind. And finally, a 115-year-old British woman named Ethel Caterham just became the world's oldest person. Yeah. And you can tell she's old. Cause her name is Ethel Caterham. We have a great show. Give it up for the Roots. Everybody. Walk up. Cross, deceptive, Perfected. The hood's infested destruction. Yo. Abruption, convulsion. But know what? You're welcome. Welcome to the show, everybody. Be sure to tune in all next week. We have some great shows coming up. Kerry Washington will be here. David Spade, Nate Bargetti will be here. And on Tuesday, we've got a performance from Shakira and Wyclef Jean. And then Shakira's coming back on Thursday to talk and to do some fun stuff. It's gonna be double dose of Shakira next week. Shakira. Shakira. I can't wait. But first, what a show we have for you tonight. There's so many talented people. Hey, Jimmy. Oh, my quincer bro. Quinton. Jimmy. Hey. Quentin Brunson. What are you.

[Rory McIlroy]

Hi. What are you doing here?

[Jimmy Fallon]

Ye. They love you. I forgot something. I just wanted to. Oh. So I'll just. This Saturday, Quinta will be hosting an all new Saturday Night Live with musical guest Benson Boone right here on NBC. I'll watch this Saturday. Take a leg. Thank you for that. I appreciate it. I'll do it. Yeah. Thank you. I appreciate that. Thank Quinta Branson, everyone. Come on. Let's appreciate that. We've got a great show tonight. He is a golfing legend who just recorded a career grand slam with his recent win at the Masters. Rory McIlroy is here tonight. The best. He stars in the popular Netflix series, you. The fifth and final season is streaming now. Penn Badgley is joining us. He's great, too. Come on back. Like a Phoenix Straining to carry the weight of my brain like a genius. Our first guest is one of the greatest golfers to ever play the game. He's coming off a historic win at the Masters, where he became the sixth golfer ever to win a career Grand Slam. Please welcome Rory McElroy. Wow. Welcome back to the show.

[Rory McIlroy]

Thank you.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Check out that jacket.

[Rory McIlroy]

I said that I wouldn't come back here until I had this green jacket, so I'm glad I made it.

[Jimmy Fallon]

You're a man of your words. Congratulations on the Masters. Thank you, Rory, I'm so happy for you, but hard work.

[Rory McIlroy]

But it's. Yeah, it took me a while, but I got there in the end.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yeah, I mean, you did it in the most dramatic way, too. A playoff.

[Rory McIlroy]

I wish.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Why would you do that to yourself?

[Rory McIlroy]

I know everyone comes up to me and they're like, oh, you don't know what you put us through on that Sunday. I was like, how do you think I was feeling?

[Jimmy Fallon]

Seriously, it was so emotional. Here's. This is the iconic photo of here winning right there. Yeah.

[Rory McIlroy]

Yeah.

[Jimmy Fallon]

I'll just. I mean, you obviously didn't see it from this angle. You are that. But tell me about this moment. This is your 17th time playing the tournament.

[Rory McIlroy]

Yeah.

[Jimmy Fallon]

You just won. And what are you. What are you thinking?

[Rory McIlroy]

I'm just thinking, thank goodness that is over. So, yeah, it was 17th time playing the tournament. On my third time playing back, way back in 2011, I had a four shot lead going into the final round, wasn't able to win. So it had been 14 years since that, 11 years trying to achieve the career Grand Slam. And I'd go back every year and I put my positive hat on and I'd go with a good attitude and, you know, every time I'd leave on that Sunday night and it wouldn't happen, and you start to think, you know, is it ever going to be your time? Yeah.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Did I miss it?

[Rory McIlroy]

Did I miss it? You know, have I lost my opportunity? And, you know, I think there's a good message in there about never giving up and keep coming back and be strong, be resilient. And you know, that, that patience paid off.

[Jimmy Fallon]

It absolutely did. I watched the whole thing. I wasn't playing. You were in it, but I was watching the whole thing. And you're coming in with the lead and then first hole, you double bogey.

[Rory McIlroy]

Yeah. Perfect way to start.

[Jimmy Fallon]

But that would have ruined everything. I mean, I mean, honestly, I don't take it that seriously. So I would laugh, but not if I was you.

[Rory McIlroy]

Yeah. So for Me, I felt like. So I went. I approached that Sunday a little differently than say, like 2011. When I had my first opportunity. I had a two shot lead. I thought, if I can go out and shoot four under par today, I'm probably going to win the tournament. So it was a way for me to like, make everything else irrelevant. I'm not going to look at what my playing partner's doing. I'm not going to look at the leaderboard. I'm not going to. I'm literally, I'm going to try to get into my own world.

[Jimmy Fallon]

I love that.

[Rory McIlroy]

If I shoot four under par today, I got it. I'm going to win the Masters.

[Jimmy Fallon]

That's your new goal.

[Rory McIlroy]

So even when I doubled the first, it was like, well, I can still shoot four under par. Like, I know I can do that. So, like, that was the whole, that was the whole mindset behind it. And that's, you know, for me, I felt like I lost the Masters in 2011 because I started to look around, I started to look at what the other guys on the course were doing. I started to look at the leaderboard, I started to like play math in my head about, okay, well, if he's done that, I can do this.

[Jimmy Fallon]

And so because you can't turn it off, you just. No.

[Rory McIlroy]

And you can't. And you also can't control what they do. Right? You know, you just, that's, that's golf. It's not as if you're on the football field and you can tackle someone or you can, you can't control what they do, but they also can't control what you do. So if you give yourself a target, you give yourself this objective of, okay, I'm going to try to shoot four under par today. That's all you can do. And if you do that and you achieve that objective, then hopefully this thing is the result of what you've just done.

[Jimmy Fallon]

It looks fantastic. So congratulations again. I'm just so.

[Rory McIlroy]

Thank you.

[Jimmy Fallon]

It's amazing what you did.

[Rory McIlroy]

Thank you.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Four rounds of golf in four days. I mean, you're busy, but when you're not golfing, what are you doing?

[Rory McIlroy]

I think like the week of the Masters for me, I'm just trying to distract myself with doing anything. I'm trying not to watch coverage of the tournament. So, like, I'm trying not to watch anything about the golf. I'm trying not to like, even you sort of try to avoid sports. You try to just not look at the sports news. So, like, read a book, watch a show, watch A movie which shows you.

[Jimmy Fallon]

What movies are you watching?

[Rory McIlroy]

So I was watching Bridgerton with my wife, which was her decision, but I actually got into it. It was good. And then on the Saturday. Cause you know, you don't tee off until pretty late till like, you know, 2:30, 3:00 in the afternoon. So you've got this dead time in the morning to do stuff. So on the Saturday morning I watched Zootopia with my daughter.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yeah, that's.

[Rory McIlroy]

Which is, you know, you just, you're just trying to, you're just trying to distract yourself.

[Jimmy Fallon]

After you win the Masters, you probably get shout outs from everybody. Congratulations from everyone in the world. I know you heard from. I know Sandler reached out. Was there anyone out of the ordinary? Like, wow, I can't believe they know me. Or are they here?

[Rory McIlroy]

I mean, I think, yeah, I was sort of overwhelmed with the people that reached out from all different walks of life, you know, culture, entertainment. But the one that got me was Sir Elton John. That was like incredible. So I actually haven't been able to connect with him. So his assistant left me a voicemail and said, sir Elton would love to congratulate you in person. The only problem is he doesn't have a cell phone. So you might get a call from a number in Windsor, England. From a landline. I'm like, sure, that's, you know, but we haven't been able to connect, so I'd love to, you know, to reach out. And I just think it's, you know, it's Elton John.

[Jimmy Fallon]

He's an icon. It's amazing. That's cool of him to do that.

[Rory McIlroy]

Yeah. So just, I mean, I didn't even know Elton John knew what golf was.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yes. I love that he loves golf. He loves you. He's the best. He loves supporting people too.

[Rory McIlroy]

It's awesome. So, yeah, just, you know, super humbled and you know, the mind of people that reached out, it's been really cool.

[Jimmy Fallon]

And of course I know Tiger reached out to you as well. We've done bits together. We have with Tiger. What did he say to you? You know, he's on the list with you.

[Rory McIlroy]

You're on the said? Well, yeah, welcome to the club, kid. Yeah. Which was just so cool. You know, there's, you know, as you said, six people ever have achieved the career Grand Slam in golf. There's only four. Four of us are living, you know, Gary Player's 90 years old, you know, Jack's 80, you know, 5, 86. And then Tiger and then myself. So it's a really cool.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yeah. Rarefied air, but, yeah, really cool to be a part of and out of anyone there. How many people can say that they're actually in Happy Gilmore 2 with Adam Sandler.

[Rory McIlroy]

Yeah, there you go.

[Jimmy Fallon]

I mean, that's what I'm talking about.

[Rory McIlroy]

He's got his own green jacket.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yeah. You got a different green jacket.

[Rory McIlroy]

I will preface, the movie's coming out in July. I'm a much better golfer than I am an actor, so I know. Hopefully people don't.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yeah, we're excited. But, I mean, obviously you must be a fan of Happy Gilmore, so.

[Rory McIlroy]

Happy Gilmore was the golf movie for me growing up. I can recite pretty much every line. So the fact that I got the opportunity to do that was. Was awesome. And as you know, Sandler's like the best. He's the absolute best. And I felt, I said to him, you know golfers, we play these pro ams a lot on Wednesdays, and you're trying to like, coach the amateurs through. I felt like Happy Gilmore 2 for him was like a pro am. He was like, trying to. He was producing, he was directing, he was acting. He was trying to coach us through what to do.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Wow.

[Rory McIlroy]

It was a. It was a. You know, he. It was a full time job for him, but he's a true pro.

[Jimmy Fallon]

He said, you're great. Congratulation. And you've been. You've been nice enough to come on my show for many years. You've been very nice and loyal to me. I appreciate you coming back on. You're the best, buddy. I'm so happy.

[Rory McIlroy]

Thanks for having me on. Thank you.

[Jimmy Fallon]

That's Rory McElroy, everybody. You can watch Rory compete at the US Open June 12th through the 15th on NBC USA and streaming on Peacock. We'll be right back with more tonight's show. Figure out the rap before but keep wishing for the son of song I keep dance all strong beats never work worthy of my pros I prolong no problem Gander time stands still once again it's time it's time to ride Our next guest is a talented actor who stars as Joe Goldberg on the popular Netflix series you. The fifth and final season is streaming now. Everyone please welcome Penn Bas. You feeling the love right there. Come on. For Penn Basley. Yeah. You're a stud. Oh, thank you. Welcome back, my friend. Congratulations, by the way, for you and your wife are expecting twins.

[Penn Badgley]

We are.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Hey.

[Penn Badgley]

Yeah. Yeah. Identical boys.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Wow.

[Penn Badgley]

Yeah.

[Jimmy Fallon]

So this one be four boys. Three.

[Penn Badgley]

Four boys.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Oh, my gosh. Have you wrapped your. Came here to work yeah. Have you, have you figured that? Have you wrapped your head around having twins?

[Penn Badgley]

No, no, I mean, I, you know, I mean, it's. It's thrilling. Obviously. It's such a nice dose of reality. Like, every time I see the sonogram, it just like, it feels so good. Also, as an only child, that's touching to see them together. Like they're in there. They're in there. Like it's a hot tub. Like, I actually have seen. There's a sonogram of them almost like facing each other, just kind of like this.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Hey, what's up, dude?

[Penn Badgley]

So I cannot fathom what it would be like to have somebody with you there.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yeah.

[Penn Badgley]

You know what I mean?

[Jimmy Fallon]

And I'm gonna grow together. Yeah.

[Penn Badgley]

I'm gonna have to raise them.

[Jimmy Fallon]

No, they're gonna raise you. They're. Tell you what, they're gonna tell you what's going on, dude. Trust me. We're friends forever, man.

[Penn Badgley]

Yeah.

[Jimmy Fallon]

That's so wild.

[Penn Badgley]

It's wild.

[Jimmy Fallon]

It's a cool. It's a cool thing. And is the family all excited?

[Penn Badgley]

Very. Yeah. So the four year old we have, he's. I just said it like, he's a bagger. The four year old we have.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yeah, the four year old we have.

[Penn Badgley]

The four year old we have, he's stoked. Cause he's just like, he really wants to be a big brother. And the 16 year old, he's excited for us, but he's also like, I'm gonna leave in two years.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's up to you. I know you like to keep your private life private, and I understand that, but you wanted to maybe clear something up about your.

[Penn Badgley]

Yeah. This is a very weird thing to say, but our Littlest, who is 4, everybody's like, what on earth is he about to say? Yeah, his name is not James. The Internet. And that's even weirder, right? Cause without context. So the Internet, on Wikipedia for many years, his name was James. And we'd get it removed, it would go back.

[Jimmy Fallon]

His name is not James.

[Penn Badgley]

His name is not James. And you know, like, I feel weird saying that, but I just thought, well, you know what? I have a platform. Why not clear the air? Because there are even people who. There are people who, you know, people close to the family who hadn't seen us maybe in a while. They sent us a card and it says, to all of us and James. And I'm like. And so that's why I felt like.

[Jimmy Fallon]

So they're just like googling or looking up on the Internet. They're like, hey, we should send Pen something for the baby's birthday.

[Penn Badgley]

So, hey, his name Wiki wiki Wiki. Oh, it's not right. It's not right.

[Jimmy Fallon]

But what's wrong with the name James?

[Penn Badgley]

Everything. No, it's nothing.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Call him Jimmy.

[Penn Badgley]

It's a great no. And I have some good jimmies in my life.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Thank you.

[Penn Badgley]

More than, like, there's a lot of them, actually.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yeah, there's nothing but great jimmies out there.

[Penn Badgley]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Jimmy Fallon]

But he's not him.

[Penn Badgley]

He is not him. And his name, because he's four, will remain undisclosed for as long as we can. As we.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Good for you. Yeah, why not? Good for you. Why not?

[Penn Badgley]

It's a good name, though. Yeah, it's a good name.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Let's talk about you.

[Rory McIlroy]

Yes.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Let's do it. Your fifth and final season is streaming now. And guess what, folks? It's number one on Netflix.

[Penn Badgley]

Oh, come on.

[Jimmy Fallon]

But not too shabby.

[Penn Badgley]

I think it was. I think it was displace, would you say? I think it was number two to WWE or something like that for a night. And I was like, oh, wow, that's.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Kind of an honor.

[Penn Badgley]

Yeah.

[Jimmy Fallon]

I mean, everyone loves wwe, but your show is crushing it. Are you happy with the final season of this? Are you ready for it to end?

[Penn Badgley]

I'm very ready for it to end.

[Jimmy Fallon]

You are?

[Penn Badgley]

I'm very ready for it to end. So I was 30 when I took the role. It's been close to eight years, but the way that ends up working out is that I will. So I'm gonna be 40 by the end of next year, and I'm probably still gonna be talking about it, you know, and so that's my 30s right there.

[Jimmy Fallon]

That is all your.

[Penn Badgley]

That's your decade, you know, That's a definitive event of my 30s.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yeah.

[Penn Badgley]

So that's huge.

[Jimmy Fallon]

And are you happy with how it ends, the final episode now? Spoilers, obviously.

[Penn Badgley]

Yeah, it's. And I can't spoil it.

[Jimmy Fallon]

No, that's right.

[Penn Badgley]

Think of a way to not spoil it. Has anybody here seen it?

[Jimmy Fallon]

You're doing a great job.

[Penn Badgley]

I was just doing, like, a temp check. Because for anybody who has seen it. Yeah. Anyway, so it's like a deconstruction of Joe, of this character, and he. Oh, I heard a really sad, like.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Oh, yeah, we have a very. No, they ooh and ah. They're the best audience. Like Penn Bazley.

[Penn Badgley]

Yeah.

[Jimmy Fallon]

And his show is called you'd. Ooh.

[Penn Badgley]

We're oohing and ahhing.

[Jimmy Fallon]

It's Oohing and ahhing week here.

[Penn Badgley]

That's very good.

[Jimmy Fallon]

We have. Do you have tons of fans? Do you ever have any, like, big celebrity fans?

[Penn Badgley]

I know one. Tons of them. Tons of them.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Ariana.

[Penn Badgley]

Yeah.

[Jimmy Fallon]

That's my pal.

[Penn Badgley]

Yeah, I know. Yeah. You guys do have a thing. And she's.

[Jimmy Fallon]

I love her, so.

[Penn Badgley]

She's phenomenal.

[Jimmy Fallon]

She's the most fun. She really is. She's just. And you go, dude. And even as big as she gets in famous, she's still humble and cool.

[Penn Badgley]

I know. And that's actually like. I think it's sometimes a bummer that it's like, yes, you're a real person, but. No, but there's so few people in the world who are truly at that level, you know, that kind of talent. And she's so, so human and relatable, and I'm just like, I don't know. I don't know. That's wild. She's so strong.

[Jimmy Fallon]

She was on your podcast podcrust last year, and you guys were singing together at one point.

[Penn Badgley]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Jimmy Fallon]

I just.

[Penn Badgley]

So I DMed her years ago, which I don't do. I don't. I don't. It's like I was trying to invite her on the podcast, which I just. Every time I do it, I honestly.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yeah, you.

[Penn Badgley]

You know what I mean?

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yeah. Trust me, I make a living in it. Yeah.

[Penn Badgley]

Yeah. Right. And you. And you do all the booking.

[Jimmy Fallon]

I book everything. I'll be driving you to hotel after the show. Yeah. Full service, man.

[Penn Badgley]

So I DMed her, and the way I was going to shoot my shot trying to get her on the show was I said, shut up. This song on her album, Positions.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yeah.

[Penn Badgley]

I said, I think it's one of the best album openers of a pop album in the last 20 years. It's so well crafted, but it's funny. And I love the way she uses humor. You know what I mean? She said that's why she's, you know, she's always so good on snl.

[Jimmy Fallon]

She's got a great humor. Yeah.

[Penn Badgley]

And she loved that I said that, but she said no. She said no. Yeah. In a very kind way. But then years later, she came back to me and was like, hey, would you want to do this video? And I was like, that sounds great, but no, no. Then I did it.

[Jimmy Fallon]

But you did. Yeah. Then you crushed it. It was great. Come on. Yes. Yes. That's how you do it. That's how you do it, pal. For anyone who hasn't seen Season 5 of youf how do we set it up?

[Penn Badgley]

It's about a killer, a man who kills people, but he also. But he manipulates the women he's with. When I describe it, it sounds so heavy. Yeah, that's what he's doing.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yeah, that's what he's doing.

[Penn Badgley]

That's what he's doing. And in this season, again, we are deconstructing him for the final time.

[Jimmy Fallon]

But how do you do it? Because you're such a nice guy and.

[Penn Badgley]

A friendly, happy guy, talented actor.

[Jimmy Fallon]

I know that. I know that you are. I know. Yes, you are. But I mean, like, do you. Do you ever research? Like, do you ever get in those. Some of those scenes where. Pen. You just gotta go for it in this one?

[Penn Badgley]

Yeah. Well, so the last. The last scene of this. The last scene of this season, which I can't describe in hardly any way because it would be a spoiler. But can I say that there were. What can I say? I had to say lines. I had to say lines.

[Jimmy Fallon]

No, yeah, we know that. No, no.

[Penn Badgley]

But I don't always have to. I don't always have to because a lot of times I'm quiet.

[Jimmy Fallon]

That's true.

[Penn Badgley]

And I'm. And I'm. And I'm watching. And there's voiceover.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Okay. Yeah.

[Penn Badgley]

So I have lines. There's no voiceover. And there's. Maybe I can say there's. There's rain. Is that a little spoilery? You're like, this is great content. Thank you. Thank you for coming on.

[Jimmy Fallon]

So you say lines and there's rain.

[Penn Badgley]

So I'm saying.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yeah, Sounds amazing, huh?

[Penn Badgley]

And.

[Jimmy Fallon]

And I know what you're talking about.

[Penn Badgley]

So it's like I'm expressing rage all the time on the show. And it comes through your neck. It's just like, there's a lot of neck muscles involved. And I found that those muscles were just completely giving out. Just entirely giving out. So I couldn't manipulate my performance. I couldn't do anything. What I was doing, I thought was very uninteresting, but all I could do was just kind of say everything like this.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Wow.

[Penn Badgley]

And I'm not kidding. That's not even like a. That's not an exaggeration, unfortunately.

[Jimmy Fallon]

But do you think it's because of all the years. Seasons of doing the show?

[Penn Badgley]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Jimmy Fallon]

And you're like, my body was saying goodbye.

[Penn Badgley]

This is everything. My body was saying no to this man.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yeah.

[Penn Badgley]

No, no, no.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Wow.

[Penn Badgley]

No, guys. No is a full sentence.

[Jimmy Fallon]

It is a full sentence. Love it. Well, you're fantastic in it. Thank you. Penn Badgley, everybody. Season five of you is streaming now on Netflix. More Tonight show after the break. Stick around. Every across this world is decepted. The beats are perfected. The hood is infested. Remote destruction, vocal abuction. Speak about corruption with no introduction. Approach me with caution. Your eyes. For my thanks to Rory McElroy, Penn Bazley, Quinta Bronson and the Roots right there from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Good night, everybody. Thank you. Get involved. Gotta get involved. Get it, Gotta get involved. Get into it, do it. Get involved in your city. Yes. Let's play all the best. That's right. Start US Hard working, Mr. Dynamite. Going up, y'all. Going up. 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.