Trump Makes Shady Deal with IRS and Grants Himself Tax Immunity | Sacha Baron Cohen, Questlove, Sue Bird, Dan Mintz | Wednesday, May 20

Summary

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

Episode: Trump Makes Shady Deal with IRS and Grants Himself Tax Immunity
Guests: Sacha Baron Cohen, Questlove, Sue Bird, Dan Mintz
Date: May 20, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode of The Tonight Show was a blend of current events and light-hearted celebrity interviews, led by Jimmy Fallon’s signature playful tone. The main theme was the latest headline regarding former President Trump’s unusual deal with the IRS and Department of Justice, granting himself and his family audit immunity—serving as fodder for Fallon’s opening monologue. The episode also celebrated legendary comebacks (both in the NBA and personal stories), art and culture, and featured sharp comedy and inspiring conversations with:

• Comedian and actor Sacha Baron Cohen (discussing his new Netflix film, “Ladies First”)
• Drummer, director and Roots bandleader Questlove (on his new documentary about Earth, Wind & Fire)
• WNBA icon and new studio analyst Sue Bird
• Comedian and “Bob’s Burgers” voice actor Dan Mintz

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Key Segments and Discussion Points

1. Monologue & Current Events

[01:14–06:20]

• New York Heatwave & Knicks Comeback: Jimmy breaks the ice with jokes about the sweltering NYC weather and the Knicks’ improbable NBA win, setting the tone for high-energy storytelling.
• Trump’s IRS & DOJ Deal:
  • Fallon lampoons an alleged “shady” deal struck by former President Trump, which immunizes him from IRS audits:
    • “Trump controls the DOJ, told them, make it go my way. So he got immunity. No more audits. Omg. He’s so happy. Lol. Popping bottles like Kash Patel. PJT says DOJ, is it illegal? Idk PJT stops IRS. Is that sketchy? Yes. Trump says, nbd.” — Jimmy Fallon [02:12]
    • “If FBI is mia, Trump says, okay, brb I gotta the UFC. IRS v DOJ SMH IYKYK NGI It’s SUS TLDR WTS.” — Jimmy Fallon [02:41]
  • Delivered rapid-fire, this segment mixes social media lingo and Fallon’s playful skepticism.
• UFC at the White House & Trump’s Birthday: Jokes about “signs from God” ahead of a bizarre White House UFC event.
• Prediction Market Ban in Minnesota:
  • The writers riff on betting about bans, leading to wordplay and comedic “wagers” over dialogue.
  • “So you bet on a prediction market that Tim Walls was gonna ban prediction markets. Wow. So it really is just like gambling.” — Jimmy Fallon [04:39]
  • Recurring gags involve “bones,” “clams,” and “dollars,” escalating absurdity in the banter.

2. Jimmy’s Knicks Game Story

[06:34–11:35]

• Taking His Daughter Courtside: Fallon recounts attending a legendary Knicks comeback with his daughter, Franny. The story is full of warmth, celebrity encounters (including Dustin Hoffman), and Dad-daughter bonding.
  • “She was like, I don’t care, Dad, I just want to go. I go, great. We go. They sit us courtside. It is unbelievable.” — Jimmy Fallon [07:34]
  • “An older gentleman… talking to her… He goes, but ice cream sundae convinced him. I go up. She’s talking to Dustin Hoffman.” — Jimmy Fallon [08:37]
• Superstition & Comeback: To break the Knicks’ bad luck, his daughter jokingly unties his shoe (echoing player Josh Hart’s prank), which miraculously precedes a historic turnaround.
  • “So she unties my shoe. The Knicks have the greatest comeback in the history of the world ever. Ever.” — Jimmy Fallon [10:36]
  • The joy builds as the Knicks tie, go into overtime, and win—culminating with Josh Hart untying Fallon’s other shoe post-win.

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3. Guest Interviews

Sacha Baron Cohen

[13:08–18:39]

• Concert Mishaps & Jacob Elordi Mix-up:
  • Sacha shares a surreal moment at a Gracie Abrams concert: “There were 15,000 people in there. Three men: myself, the father of the rock star and Jacob Elordi.” — Sacha Baron Cohen [14:27]
  • Playful banter on being mistaken for actor Jacob Elordi.
• Recognition and Legacy:
  • Fallon reveals “Borat” made NYT’s 100 Best Movies list: “Borat. Come on. Right there. Number 53. Sacha Baron Cohen. That’s how you do it.” — Jimmy Fallon [15:18]
  • Sacha feigns embarrassment and jokes about his charitable works getting overshadowed by the press.
• New Film: "Ladies First":
  • Concept: A misogynist lands in a world where women behave badly—parodying gender roles and “mansplaining.”
    • “So it’s about this kind of misogynistic guy… in a flipped world where women behave as badly as men do.” — Sacha Baron Cohen [16:04]
  • Physical Transformation:
    • Discusses using a prosthetic muscle suit (nipples misaligned!), then hustling with Matthew McConaughey’s trainer for a real physique in three weeks:
      • "He says, you have to call up my trainer. And you do whatever he says… In three weeks, this guy got me jacked. I don’t know how.” — Sacha Baron Cohen [17:37]
    • Fallon showcases the viral “ripped” look, bantering about lubricants and internet fame.

Questlove

[19:04–25:54]

• Roots Picnic & Relationship with Jay-Z:
  • “We’ve been working with him since, like, 2001, I think. Like, 25 years.” — Questlove [19:59]
• Documentary: "Earth, Wind & Fire: To Be Celestial vs. That’s the Weight of the World":
  • Title inspired by Rocky and Bullwinkle's cliffhangers and optimism; a lens on the band’s fusion of music and affirmation.
  • “Earth, Wind and Fire, they were a celestial band. They’re the parents that tricked you into eating your vegetables. Or basically, they trick their audience into positivity.” — Questlove [21:11]
  • “…when you sing their lyrics, by default, you’re kind of singing affirmations.” — Questlove [21:20]
• Surprises and Deep Dives:
  • Origins: Philly audiences once booed EW&F for their futuristic look; the band responded with meditation, winning respect.
    • “They sat on stage in the Lotus position for eight minutes and wore the audience out.” — Questlove [22:50]
  • Reveals that a EW&F song helped revive Stevie Wonder from a coma; “September” was inspired by Maurice White's anticipation of his son's birth:
    • “No way. Maurice’s son was supposed to be born on September 21st… But he was born prematurely. But they still kept it 21st day of September.” — Questlove [25:22]
  • Shares being gifted Maurice White’s original kalimba.

Sue Bird

[26:22–31:57]

• Knicks Game Fandom:
  • Sue relates passionately to the Knicks comeback:
    • “I barely slept watching it.” — Sue Bird [27:02]
• Player-to-Analyst Journey:
  • Reveals she gets “more nervous watching” than playing:
    • “When you’re watching, you have no control… I get so much more nervous watching.” — Sue Bird [27:19]
  • Analyzes the “rest vs. rust” dynamic in playoff teams.
• Statue and Accolades:
  • Reacts with delight to her own statue:
    • “In the clay form, when I walked underneath, I was like, whoa, that's my nose. And also, like, you know, the muscles don’t look so bad. I get to be ripped forever.” — Sue Bird [29:15]
  • UConn number retirement:
    • “So at UConn...the way they acknowledge your retirement is you have to be in the hall of Fame.” — Sue Bird [29:51]
• Life After Retirement:
  • Hasn’t played basketball since retiring:
    • “I don't want to be bad. I'm like, in a Pilates groove...When I wake up, I can walk.” — Sue Bird [30:24]
  • Enjoys behind-the-scenes analyst life, preparing by watching film and breaking down plays.

Dan Mintz (Stand-Up)

[32:14–37:38]

A rapid-fire set of absurdist one-liners and deadpan observations, including:

• “We were money rich, but we had very little dirt.” [32:39]
• “Carrot top should either have green hair or be called Carrot Bottom.” [33:36]
• “My wife confessed that she has a non sexual crush on someone. Me.” [35:20]
• A running theme of literal and surreal humor keeps the crowd rolling.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Trump and the IRS Scandal:

  • “Trump controls the DOJ, told them, make it go my way. So he got immunity. No more audits.” — Jimmy Fallon [02:12]

• Fallon’s Knicks Comeback Experience:

  • “To break the Knicks’ bad luck, his daughter jokingly unties his shoe... The Knicks have the greatest comeback in the history of the world ever. Ever.” — Jimmy Fallon [10:36]

• Sacha Baron Cohen, Transforming for “Ladies First”:

  • “I got the best prosthetic artist...built a fake prosthetic suit... the nipples were slightly in the wrong place.” — Sacha Baron Cohen [17:04]
  • “In three weeks, this guy got me jacked. I don’t know how.” — Sacha Baron Cohen [18:04]

• Questlove on Earth, Wind & Fire’s Power:

  • “When you sing their lyrics, by default, you’re kind of singing affirmations.” — Questlove [21:20]
  • “They sat in the Lotus position for eight minutes and wore the [booing] audience out.” — Questlove [22:50]
  • “September was just a throwaway song... Maurice’s son was supposed to be born on September 21st.” — Questlove [25:16]

• Sue Bird on Sports Watching vs. Playing:

  • “When you’re watching, you have no control...I get so much more nervous watching.” — Sue Bird [27:19]
  • “I get to be ripped forever.” — Sue Bird [29:19]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Trump IRS/DOJ Monologue: [01:14–03:16]
• Prediction Markets Bit: [04:30–05:28]
• Jimmy’s Knicks Game Story: [06:34–11:35]
• Sacha Baron Cohen Interview: [13:08–18:39]
• Questlove Interview: [19:04–25:54]
• Sue Bird Interview: [26:22–31:57]
• Dan Mintz Stand-up: [32:14–37:38]

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Summary Tone

The episode blends cynicism about politics (Trump IRS deal) with awestruck sports fandom, deep musical appreciation, and silly, quickfire comedy. Each guest brings personality, candor, and humor, while Fallon acts as a connective, exuberant host—never missing a chance for a pun, a callback, or a heartfelt moment. This episode is a must-listen for fans of comedy, sports, music history, and pop culture alike.

Transcript

[A]

From Studio 6P in Rockefeller center in the heart of New York City, it's a Tonight show starring Jimmy Fallon. Tonight joins Jimmy and his guest, Sasha Baron Cohen. Quest. Love, Rupert, comedian Dan Mint and feature Chief legendary Ruth Cru. 2295. And now here he is. Give me. Come on, now. That's how you do it. I love you. Welcome. Thank you every. Thank you very much. Enjoy yourself. Enjoy yourself.

[B]

Welcome, everybody. Welcome to the Tonight Show.

[A]

You're here. This is it.

[B]

Well, guys, it was another scorcher here in New York City, with temperatures once again over 90 degrees.

[C]

Whew.

[B]

It was so hot. Kash Patel spent the day drinking whiskey from an ice luge. But the city is buzzing right now because the New York Knicks had one of the biggest comebacks in NBA history.

[A]

Last.

[B]

Yep, in the fourth quarter, the Knicks had a 0.1% chance of winning. 0.1%. Trump was like, I'd kill for that approval rating. That's really. Wow, big numbers. Well, guys, it's graduation season across the country, and today, President Trump delivered the commencement address for the US Coast Guard, which until very recently, he thought was a brand of deodorant. Trump looked at the Coast Guard and said, I have no idea what you do. You're like the space force of the sea. I don't really, but the big story is that the Department of Justice and the IRS just made a deal that says the IRS can never, ever audit President Trump or his family. Sounds a little shady, but if you're confused, don't worry, I'll break it down for you right now. Trump had sued the IRS for 10 billion. What a mess. Trump controls the DOJ, told them, make it go my way. So he got immunity. No more audits. Omg. He's so happy. Lol. Popping bottles like Kash Patel. PJT says doj, is it illegal? Idk PJT stops irs. Is that sketchy? Yes. Trump says, nbd. Okay. If FBI is mia, Trump says, okay, brb I gotta the ufc. I R S V D O J S M H I Y K Y K N G L It's S U S T L D R W T S.

[A]

Damn.

[B]

I hope that helps.

[D]

Boom.

[A]

Wow. Right? Oh, yeah.

[B]

I heard the heat. Oh, yeah. Hey, guys, listen to this. The organizers of the upcoming UFC fight at the White House on Trump's birthday are worried that the event might get sworn by gnats. God was like, how many more signs do I need to send here? Meanwhile, in a new interview, Jeff Bezos said he still thinks Trump is More mature and more disciplined than he was in his first term. Yeah, I think the UFC birthday party on the south lawn proves that. Hey, I saw that Minnesota Governor Tim Walls just signed the nation's free banning prediction markets, which are platforms that allow users to place bets on virtually anything.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

What's going on, Tree?

[D]

Hmm?

[E]

Oh, I bet that he was gonna do that and I just, you know,

[B]

won a hundred bucks. So you bet on a prediction market that Tim Walls was gonna ban prediction markets. Wow. So it really is just like gambling.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

What now?

[E]

I placed a bet that you'd call

[A]

it gambling, and I just made 212 bones.

[B]

You can bet on specific words I use. That's crazy.

[E]

Are you sure?

[B]

It's just crazy, Jimmy. Doesn't it seem so crazy that you might compare it to famous yellow fruit? Are you trying to get me to say that it's bananas?

[A]

Yes. I just made 305 clams.

[B]

Why do you keep saying things like bones and clams? Oh, because Quest bet that I would

[E]

say the word dollar.

[F]

Yes.

[A]

God damn it. Oh, come on. Hey, Street Trotter Quest.

[B]

Wow, that's a lot of money.

[D]

Lot of bones.

[E]

A lot of bones.

[B]

A lot of clams here.

[G]

Damn.

[B]

Some business news. Red Lobster is closing. The first location they ever opened back in 1970. Right now, there's a 56 year old lobster hiding in the back of the tank going, oh, my God, I actually made it. You gotta be, gotta be kidding me.

[F]

Wow.

[A]

This guy is a freaking joke.

[B]

I knew it. And finally, in Mexico, the record was just broken for the world's largest bowl of guacamole. Can we see it? Look at that. Yeah. In my head, that's what a carnival cruise hot tub looks like.

[A]

We have a great show. Give it up for the Roots, everybody.

[D]

21 pounds, the Legends, every car working.

[A]

Hey.

[B]

So last night I went to the most exciting game that I've ever seen in my entire life. I went to the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Shout out to the Knicks. So I should preface this by the last time I was at a game, I got to say courtside, and I never wanted to make eye contact with the players. I don't want to bother anybody. I just want to watch the game, enjoy them. So it kind of, I guess I watched them from the. I just watched their backs. No, I just. I don't look at their. I don't want to distract from anything. I don't want to get like, hey, Jimmy, or whatever. So I just do it. Last time they had a blowout, they were Up. They won by, like 30 or 40 points. And towards the end of the game, Josh Hart walks by me. And of course, he runs to the bench and he bends down and he unties one of my shoes. And I go, but just being a wise guy, he's been on the show. He's really cool. I love Josh Hart. So I go, that's hilarious. That was fun. So anyway, so last night, I go to the game. My daughter Franny wants to go to her first game. Never been to a sports game in her life. So I go, all right, well, you know, there's no guarantee where we're sitting or anything like that. Just. She was like, I don't care, Dad. I just want to go. I go, great. We go. They sit as courtside. It is unbelievable. Look at this. This is us. That's me. That's dad talking to her, saying, hey, that's how. Yeah,

[F]

so.

[B]

So it's. It's the greatest thing ever. I'm just loving life. It's just so fun. And she's going, let's go, Nicks. And she's yelling, and she's 11. She's like, I hear a little voice yelling, you know, Jalen, whatever. She's yelling style stuff is great. Throwing towels around. So they're winning, and it's all fun. And then. And everyone's going nuts, like, defense. You know, she loves all that stuff. And so then they start kind of losing, and I go, oof. You know, now it's not fun. So now. Yeah, but not by that much. It's still kind of fun. So people are going, yeah, defense, but not as loud. And it's fun. And so they're down by two, and they go, all right, now we're in halftime. They bring you to a special suite that I guess if you're sit courtside. And so my daughter's like, what? We went to a special, like, restaurant or something. They have an ice cream bar and all this stuff. And I'm like, none of this is normal. This is not what a basketball game is. We don't sit on the court. None of this stuff. And she's saying. So she's up there, and there's an ice cream bar. She's like, can I have an ice cream sundae? I go, yeah. So she's making an ice cream sundae. And some older gentleman goes over and talks to her. He has white hair, and he's like, first game, huh? He's like, when my son came, all he wanted to eat was a hot dog. And that's all once he had his hot dog, he wanted to go home. He didn't even want to watch the game. And he's talking to her and making. He goes, but ice cream sundae convinced him. I go up. She's talking to Dustin Hoffman. He's like, the nut Dustin. I go, oh, my God. Do you know who that guy is? Like, he's just being like a grandpa and being so nice, and I loved him. And so she's happy. And so we go back down, we're watching the game, and they start completely losing. I mean, swamped by the Cavaliers. James Harden is amazing. I mean, the Cavs are a great team. He's backwards passing all this stuff. Crazy. It's nuts. They're just so. They're losing really bad. So Franny gets text messages from her friends, like, hey, the game's over. The Knicks are toast. And I was like, I don't want to have the, you know, bad game. You know, it's her first ever. So I'm like, hey, tell your friends. You know, they have it shot. You know, game. There's more games. They'll play it Thursday night. You know, whatever. So she said, yeah, so either way, we're still having fun. And then fourth quarter, they're down 22 points with eight. Eight minutes or seven minutes left. And I go. And my daughter's like, hey, dad. She goes, is it weird to think that they still have a chance? And I go, no, they still have a chance. Sure. They just have to score, like, you know, 10 baskets in 10 minutes or eight minutes, and the other team has to score nothing. It's very possible. Yeah, it could happen. I go, you know what you do? I go, untie my shoe like Josh Hart did. And she goes, okay. I go, maybe that'll give. Good luck. So she unties my shoe. The Knicks have the greatest comeback in the history of the world ever. Ever.

[A]

And I'm like, oh, my God, this actually happened. Our friends are like, are you at this game?

[B]

I mean, it was electric.

[A]

People were going, dave fans.

[B]

Then people are going, good. It was like the place was shaking. It was so fun. And then we're down to four points. Then they tied the game at 101 to 101. We go into overtime. I'm like, franny, this is not normal.

[A]

No one does this. This is not a game.

[B]

They end up winning. They play that overtime, they end up winning by, like, 10 points. They're up. Everyone's crying, jumping up and down. It's the most exciting game she's ever been to in her life. We're hugging and we sit back down. Josh Hart runs by me and he unties my other shoe. It was the best game ever. I loved it. I am spoiled.

[A]

Thanks to everyone at Madison Square Garden. Thank you to the Knicks, of course. Shout out to my man, Josh Hart. Game two is Thursday night. Espn. I will be watching. Go Knicks.

[B]

What a great show we have for you tonight. He is one of the funniest comedians on earth. He's also a great actor and a writer whose new movie Ladies first begins streaming on Netflix this Friday. Sacha Baron Cohen is here tonight. He's an Academy Award winning director, New York Times bestselling author and Grammy winning drummer for the Roots. His new documentary Earth, Wind and Fire to be celestial versus that's the weight of the world is on HBO. Max, June 7th.

[A]

Questlove is joining us tonight.

[B]

Gonna be fun. Yep. She's also a, she's a WNBA legend who's now a studio analyst for, for NBC Sports.

[A]

Sue Bird is here.

[B]

He's a legend.

[A]

Loves Sue Bird. And we got great stand up from Dan Mintz.

[B]

Stick around.

[A]

We'll be right back with Sasha Baron Cohen. Everybody. Come on back.

[D]

Good morning, people. It's my baby girl. Let my baby know I'm going till I save the world. Jumping out of five wheel, it's looking super dull. Rocking along because I'm more concerned about the pay that I earn. You know it.

[A]

Our first guest is an Oscar nominated actor.

[B]

As an actor and writer, he stars in the new movie Ladies first which begins streaming on Netflix this Friday. Please welcome Sacha Baron Cohen. Welcome back. Sasha. Love you.

[A]

We love you. We love you as well.

[B]

Thank you for doing the show and welcome back. You were telling me backstage that you went to a concert recently and that there was a bit of a mix up.

[F]

Yes, well, I'm friendly with The Fantastic director J.J. abrams.

[B]

Oh, he's one of my, he's one of the best directors out there. I love him. I love that guy.

[F]

His daughter is an internationally famous rock star.

[B]

Gracie Abrams.

[F]

Gracie Abrams. He said come to the concert. I go to the concert and it's just teenage girls like you know, 11 to 15 and me, I go to J.J. i start talking to him, give him a hug, and I basically get completely mistaken for somebody else. Jake and Elordi was there. There were only three men in the entire audience. There were 15,000 people in there. Three men, myself, the father of the rock star and Jacob Elordi.

[B]

Yeah. No, but do you often get mistaken for Jacob Elordi I mean, it's impossible.

[F]

I'm not as good looking as Jacob, am I?

[A]

It's impossible me.

[B]

This is interesting because this is you. Very blurry of you and J.J. okay, but then we did see a photo of Jacob Elordi at the concert, and he's kind of wearing the. He's wearing the same hat. Yeah, now I get it.

[F]

Exactly. We were the only other men apart from the father of the stud.

[B]

Well, I, I, I think that you're a stud as well. I'm happy. Stop it.

[F]

I'm a character.

[B]

Yeah. I want to congratulate you, by the way, because the New York Times just came out with the list of the 100 best movies of the 21st century. And check out what is on the list. Right here. Borat. Come on. Right there.

[A]

Number 53. Sasha Barry Cohen. That's how you do it.

[B]

This is so.

[F]

This is so embarrassing.

[B]

This is so.

[F]

I specifically said not to mention that. Not to mention the three Oscar nominations and the Globes. Just all my charitable contributions. Please, you.

[B]

Yeah.

[F]

You're not here to talk about me saving children. Come on. Come on.

[B]

You don't want to talk about any of this. Does it feel odd that you're on this list? Are you honored? Are you?

[F]

I thought I was in the 20s, but okay, so be it.

[D]

Fine.

[F]

Yeah.

[B]

But I mean, it is kind of fantastic. I mean, you've made a cultural impact on this.

[F]

It was bizarre because that movie almost never got made, so.

[B]

But you stuck with it and you stuck with it. And perseverance. I want to talk about Ladies first, your new movie.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

This comes out this Friday on Netflix.

[F]

That's right.

[B]

How do we set up? What is the movie about?

[F]

So it's about this kind of misogynistic guy called male chauvinist who bumps his head and ends up in a kind of flipped world where women behave as badly as men do. And he's like a real kind of mansplainer, you know? And for the ladies out there, mansplaining is when.

[A]

Mansplainer. That's how you do it. That's how you do it. Come on. That is fantastic.

[B]

That's so good. But you are in the movie, and I gotta say, you're jacked. You're ripped.

[F]

Yes. I did not want to be. I did not want to be. I mean, essentially they said, you know, the part of the thing is about the objectification of women, which is awful. And so this guy has to become objectified in order to succeed.

[E]

Yes.

[F]

And so they decided I needed to Become muscly. And so I got the best prosthetic artist in the whole of Britain. He's won three Oscars. And I had him build a fake prosthetic suit. That was amazing.

[B]

Genius.

[F]

Amazing. And yeah, this is it.

[B]

I think I have a picture of it. You and the.

[F]

And then I showed the director and the nipples. The nipples were slightly in the wrong place. And the director said, you have to do this yourself. And so I'm working out. Nothing is happening. There are no muscles. I've chopped out carbs. I'm desperate. It's three weeks to my first scene with my top off. And so what do I do? I do what anyone in this crowd would do. I call Matthew McConaughey.

[B]

Of course.

[A]

That's what you do. That's what everyone should always do.

[F]

I said, it's Sasha. He goes, I don't know who you are.

[A]

I go, bora, my wife.

[F]

He goes, okay. Oh, yeah. And I go, listen, I need to get muscles in for three weeks. And he says, you have to call up my trainer. And you do whatever he says. I call up this trainer, Alfonso, and immediately on FaceTime, he says, all right, take your top off. You know, take your pants off. I was like. I was like, how about dinner first? You know?

[B]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yes.

[F]

In three weeks. This guy got me jacked. I don't know how.

[B]

I mean, I'm not kidding. It blew up the Internet. It broke the Internet. You're on the COVID of men's physics. This is real. Look at this. Look at Sacha Baron. Look at this. Look at this.

[A]

This is

[B]

by the way, the nipples

[F]

here at least similar. The nipples there were going down nipples here out.

[B]

But dude, you look phenomenal. Broke the Internet. I was like, how did. Is this really?

[F]

I am covered in a lot of about 2 liters of lubrication.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

It doesn't matter though. That's fantastic.

[B]

The rest of your life you have that.

[F]

Yes, exactly. I'm gonna be walking around like this.

[A]

Yes, you should. Tasha Baron Cohen, everybody. Ladies first is on Netflix this Friday. Be right back with more Tonight Show.

[B]

Our next guest is an Oscar winning director, a New York Times best selling author and the Grammy winning drummer of the Roots. His latest documentary, Earth, Wind and Fire to be celestial versus that's the weight of the world is available on HBO. Max. June 7th. Please welcome the one, the only Questlove.

[A]

I never knew I would never want

[D]

to get out here.

[B]

Like, yeah, no, you never have done that your whole life. Yeah. Come on. Well, I love having you in the guest chair.

[E]

Thank you.

[F]

Thank you.

[B]

This is great. You never rest. By the way, next weekend, you're doing the Roots Picnic yet again. Another annual, the Roots Picnic in Philly with headliner Jay Z. Yeah. Come on, buddy.

[D]

Together.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

How long?

[B]

I know you guys are tight. How long have you known Jay Z?

[E]

We've been working with him since, like, 2001, I think. Like 25 years. Yeah.

[B]

Wow. Oh, my gosh. It's going to be a massive risk pick. Yeah. Well, you have your fourth documentary also coming out now. It's called Earth, Wind and Fire. To be Celestial versus. That's the Weight of the World.

[G]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. Can you explain the title?

[E]

I like long titles.

[B]

You do? Yeah. You really do.

[E]

Well, all my films have these, you know, Summer Soul or the Revolution Could Not Be Televised or Sly Lives, aka the Burden of Black Genius or Ladies and Gentlemen, 50 Years of SNL Music.

[B]

Yes.

[E]

I think it stems from. I'm a big fan of Rocky and Bullwinkle, and at the end of every episode will be a cliffhanger. And, you know, it'll be like Bullwinkle's head inside of a guillotine. And they'll say, stay tuned for next week for some time.

[A]

Ask me another.

[B]

Or. Yeah, yeah. Like, heads you lose. Yeah, that's the thing. Oh, my gosh. And what do these two titles mean? The Celestial?

[E]

Well, I mean, it gives you a synopsis of the film and sort of. I wanted to make a film. I think the times that we live in now, we have a choice to make. You know, I mean, the short version is we can either go high or go low. And Earth, Wind and Fire, they were a celestial band. They're the parents that tricked you into eating your vegetables. Or basically, they trick their audience into positivity.

[B]

Yeah.

[E]

Because they're a metaphysical group. And when you sing their lyrics, by default, you're kind of singing affirmations.

[B]

Yeah. You feel good.

[E]

Yeah. And so I dinosaur everywho you are. Yes. Everything is an affirmation. So this is what that band is about. I wanted to know what made them that.

[B]

I know that you love them. And we've always. We've referenced them on the show before, many times, but this is diving deep into it. I mean, you had access to stuff that no one's seen before. Do you learn anything? Because I know, you know, everything about every song and every music. You're an encyclopedia. Do you actually go, oh, I actually didn't know that.

[E]

Probably the most shocking, like, because, like, this is a band. So ubiquitous. But we don't know about them. Personally, I didn't know that for the first maybe two to three years. It was a struggle. So, great example, their very first show as the Earth, Moon and Fire that we know it, like, they had different configurations, but the version that we know, unfortunately, was in my hometown of Philadelphia, and we are world famous for booing.

[B]

You did not boo Earth, Wind and Fire.

[E]

I mean, we booed everybody.

[B]

I know, it's Philly. Yeah.

[E]

Beyonce, Santa Claus. Like, everybody.

[B]

Yes, Philly, Santa Claus. I remember you threw snowballs at Santa Claus. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[E]

So, you know, Earth, Wind and Fire was just a different looking band. Like, everyone, you know, had on suits and, you know, tailor made and all this stuff. And they came out, like, with these space dashikis. And so the second they got on.

[B]

Yeah. Didn't they used to dress like aliens?

[E]

Well, yeah, I mean, they were. I mean, they introduced, like, Afrofuturism to the mainstream. And so they get on stage and instantly Philly's like, boo. Like, throwing stuff and jeering them. And they did something genius. They took it and they sat on the stage in the Lotus position for eight minutes and they wore the audience out. Like, if you remember that clip of Bill Burr getting booed in Philadelphia.

[F]

Yes.

[E]

And then after, like, six minutes, the audience respected him.

[B]

They liked him.

[E]

Same thing. They just sat on the stage and the audience got tired of booing them. And when it was dead silent, then they became Earth, Wind and Fire.

[B]

Wow.

[E]

Yeah.

[B]

So I love knowing that.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And the family actually gave you one of his original instruments that he used to play.

[E]

Yeah. So they allowed me inside of their massive storage space where they, you know, all the costumes and all their reels and concerts and everything, and they gifted me. So Kalimba's like an African thumb piano. And so this is his Kalimba from, like, 1976, I believe.

[B]

Oh, my gosh. Yeah.

[E]

And he would play this, like, the signature sound. It's out of tune. But this is like one of his original kalimbas that they gifted me. And so.

[B]

Phew. Yeah. I still even odd holding.

[E]

Yeah. So this hasn't been played in almost 50 years, but, oh, my gosh, this is Maurice White's Kalimba.

[B]

There's other things I kind of learned from the documentary, too. Is that their effect they've had on other musicians, including Stevie Wonder, is one of the ones where I'm like, wait, I didn't know that.

[E]

So that was a shocker. So Stevie Wonder was in a coma. He was in a horrible car accident, I think in 74. And at some point there was, like, no hope for him. And his family was doing anything they could to revive him. And he claims that in Earth, Wind and Fire record sort of like, brought him back. Like, his body would respond to that.

[B]

It was the first song he responded to.

[E]

And when he listened to Shining Star, which, you know, is very similar to his own I wish. And so hearing Shining Star all that time, like, he made I Wish that was on the lead single from Songs in the Key of Life.

[B]

What is September about? I do remember the 21st night, but I don't know why.

[E]

Like, sometimes the people have to decide, like, what the signature song is. Like. Earth, Wind and Fire had so many iconic songs.

[B]

Yes.

[E]

September was just a throwaway song on, like, a greatest hits record. No way. Maurice's son was supposed to be born on September 21st. So technically it was about the joy of him finding out that his son was going to be born. But he was born prematurely. But they still kept it 21st day of September.

[B]

So it should have been like the 17th day of September.

[E]

Maybe August 8th or something.

[B]

August 8th. But it didn't have the same, like, rhyme scene. No, it didn't really rhyme until rhyme through August. You remember the 8th day of August Of August? Yeah. It would have been a flop.

[E]

You remember? I guess.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You remember? Yeah.

[A]

Quest of everybody Earth, Wind and Fire to be celestial versus that's the way to the world is available June 7th on HBO. Max. We're talking to Sue Bird after the break. Stick around, everybody.

[D]

A mission that some people think is impossible but when I swing on my swords, they y' all tropical.

[A]

Our next guest is a basketball hall

[B]

of Famer, now in her first season as a singer studio analyst for NBC Sports. Coverage of the WNBA continues this Sunday at 3pm on NBC and Monday at 8pm on Peacock and NBC. SN. Please welcome the legendary Sue Byrd,

[A]

The one and only. The one and only Sue. Welcome back to the show.

[C]

Thanks for having me.

[B]

I always love talking to you. We have a lot thanks to discuss. By the way, did you watch the Knicks last night?

[C]

Did I watch the Knicks last night?

[B]

Come on. Was that unbelievable?

[C]

I barely slept watching it.

[A]

Was that unbelievable?

[C]

I can't believe you're there. I'm so jealous.

[B]

Oh, my God. I'm jealous of myself.

[C]

I'm like, someone untied my shoes.

[B]

It was amazing.

[A]

Yeah, it was crazy.

[C]

I love a comeback.

[B]

Is that wild?

[C]

The best.

[B]

When you watch a game and not play the game, do you enjoy it as much or is it a different Beast.

[C]

It's a different beast. I feel like when you're out there and you're a player, you kind of get lost in it. You have a little bit of control because you're out there. When you're watching, you have no control. I'm like, I can't even imagine shooting a three, shooting free throws. I get so much more nervous watching.

[B]

Really?

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And what do you think that Knicks chances are going to the championship?

[C]

I mean, I think they're pretty good.

[B]

Yeah, me too.

[C]

I like it. I like it. I think they got that rust off. Right. The whole rest versus rust. They had a ton of days off. The Cavs were game seven, so they were.

[B]

Does that help the team that they were?

[C]

It depends who you talk to.

[B]

Yeah. Because a lot of people last night were saying, oh, maybe the Knicks had too much time off.

[C]

Yeah. But then finally, in, like, what, the last, like, what, six, seven, eight minutes?

[E]

Yes.

[C]

They finally got it back.

[B]

Six, seven. Oh, my God. Yeah.

[C]

Walk right into that. You have kids?

[B]

Yes, of course. I clearly have kids. Yeah. So. But. And they don't even do that. They're like, that's. So that was three months ago. But I'm watching the game and I go, oh, my gosh. When you're playing and you play the game, you play your heart out, obviously. When you go to overtime, do you go, wait, this isn't fair.

[C]

When you're down and you go to overtime, you're like, let's go.

[B]

Oh, yeah. Then it's, oh, really?

[C]

When you're up and you go to overtime. Yeah.

[B]

You're mad.

[C]

Yes. Very mad.

[B]

You're upset. You are not only one of the biggest legends in WNBA history, but also you have a great statue made of yourself. And this is rare because people make statues of people, and sometimes it doesn't look like them, and it's not cool

[C]

in a lot of ways.

[B]

Yours looks really cool.

[C]

Thank you.

[B]

Here's you posing next to it. Congratulations about this. Look at this. Come on.

[C]

I had to go with a layup.

[B]

Yes. You had to go with that.

[A]

Sure thing.

[B]

Sure.

[G]

Layup.

[A]

Sure thing.

[B]

Are you happy with how that turned out?

[C]

I am thrilled. I didn't see it until I saw it in, like, clay form. You see this ginormous clay form. I didn't see the real thing, like, the bronze version until that day, so I was a little nervous. But in the clay form, when I walked underneath, I was like, whoa, that's my nose.

[B]

Like, that's my nose. You know?

[C]

And also, like, you know, the muscles don't look so bad.

[A]

Yeah, of course.

[C]

I get to be ripped forever.

[B]

Forever.

[C]

By the way, Sacha Baron Cohen, is he jacked or what's looking like a statue?

[B]

That's what I'm saying. Yeah.

[A]

Thank you.

[B]

He's like, right.

[C]

He's here three weeks. That took me, like, 20 years. That's a whole career right there.

[B]

But also, your school retired your number, number 10, to the rafters.

[A]

Congratulations on this.

[C]

Thank you.

[A]

This is not

[B]

UConn. They don't just retire numbers.

[C]

Nah, they don't just retire. They'd run out.

[B]

Yeah, you'll run out of numbers.

[C]

You'll run out of numbers.

[B]

But this is because you're in the hall of Fame.

[C]

Yeah. So at UConn, obviously, you've had so many amazing players. Some are still playing, so their numbers will get there, but the way they separate you and the way they acknowledge your retirement is you have to be in the hall of Fame. So it's not just like All American Player of the Year, they're like, oh, no, no. We have a lot of those.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

So once you get into the hall of Fame, they retire it. So it's pretty special.

[B]

I mean, come on.

[E]

You are.

[C]

It's been a crazy year.

[A]

How do you stay homo?

[C]

It's been a crazy year.

[B]

I heard something and you could. We don't have to air this if you don't want, but I heard that you haven't played since you retired.

[C]

No, I haven't.

[B]

You haven't?

[C]

No.

[B]

Not for fun. Nothing?

[C]

Nah. I don't want to be bad.

[B]

What?

[C]

I don't want to be bad.

[B]

You'll never be bad. You're super now.

[C]

I'm like, in a Pilates groove. I don't have to do, like, ice baths when I wake up. When I wake up, I can walk. It's great. It's actually really. It's actually really wonderful.

[B]

So when you're playing, it's that hard, huh?

[C]

No, it's not that hard. There's days, though.

[B]

There are days you have to ice everything, and it's like, all the things. Oh, my gosh.

[E]

All the things.

[B]

Well, welcome to the NBC family. I'm happy you're here.

[C]

Yeah, me, too.

[B]

What's happening now? You're here in New York this weekend.

[C]

Yeah. So I'm part of the studio show, which is amazing.

[B]

Come on, bud.

[C]

Maria Taylor, Chyna Robinson, the great Cheryl Miller. That's my teammate.

[B]

Yes.

[C]

And we're going on site for the two Liberty games that are on Sunday and Monday. So we'll be in the studio show. We'll be on site. I'm super psyched for it.

[B]

Come on. You're fantastic. I was gonna ask because obviously you know how to play and I've seen a lot of players now becoming commentators and it works so good because you know, you know the game.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

You go, oh, no. Here's what I would do. What they're gonna do is the coach is gonna pull them out. I'm gonna put that in there. Do you practice at home? Because that's what I would do. Like if Sue Bird is sitting in her house going, okay, and they're just gonna pass the ball, ball, ball. Do you do that?

[C]

No. I do watch film though.

[B]

Ooh, film.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

Wow.

[C]

Old habits.

[B]

Really?

[C]

Yeah. I'll like put a game on. I'll be like, fast forward, rewind, rewind, rewind again. I'll get play calls.

[B]

Come on.

[C]

Yeah, I think the old habits.

[B]

I can't wait to see you, Sue Bird, everybody. Coverage of the WNBA continues this Sunday

[A]

at 3:00pm on NBC, Monday at 8:00pm on Peacock and NBC. SN more Tonight show after the break.

[C]

Stick around.

[A]

Super.

[D]

Two for ten. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, yeah.

[A]

Our next guest is the voice of

[B]

Tina Belcher on Bob's Burgers and his animated stand up special. Well rounded entertainer will be available on YouTube June 18th. Please welcome the very funny Dan Mintz.

[G]

Thank you. I grew up dirt poor. We were money rich, but we had very little dirt. I couldn't have asked for a better wife because it would have hurt my wife's feelings. Sometimes I'll call 911 just to tell them everything's going great. I feel like they only ever hear bad news. My dad would come to all my little league games and just scream obscenities at the umpire the whole time. Got so bad at quit being a little league umpire. Carrot top should either have green hair or be called Carrot Bottom. I live in a colonial house. When I moved in, people are already living there and I kick them. I prefer girl on top, but I don't care what the lower half is. Word on the street is graffiti. I went to the dentist. He said I didn't have any bloody gums, which at first I thought was a good thing. But then I remembered that he's British, Very expensive. My wife confessed that she has a non sexual crush on someone.

[B]

Me. Thank you.

[G]

They should put pictures of people who faked their disappearance on soy milk cartons. I always tell actors there are no small roles. So could you bring some more small roles to our table? People always think I'm crazy when I tell them I see a psychiatrist because I'm the only one that can see her. Whenever a woman sees me naked, I can always feel her dressing me with her eyes. I got one of those treadmill desks so I cannot do work and not exercise at the same time. Do hippie dolphins have land births? Our daughter only eats pasta with butter and peanut butter sandwiches without the crust. No matter how much she begs us to give her other kinds of food. When you're little and you hear a noise in the middle of the night, you're like, please be the water heater, not a monster. But when you grow up, you're like, please be a monster, not my water heater.

[B]

Thank you.

[G]

I'm Dan Nich.

[A]

That's fantastic, buddy. I'm Dan mitch dance animated fena special well rounded entertainer will be available on YouTube June 18th. We'll be right back everybody.

[D]

White dogs at my doorstep. What comes around goes around like the vortex competition of the legendary.

[A]

My thanks to Sacha Baron Cohen, Questlove, Sue Bird, Dan Mintz once again and the Roots right there from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,

[B]

Stephen, have a great show tomorrow night. We'll be watching. Good night everybody.

[A]

Get into it.

[B]

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.