Trump Reinstates Fitness Test as Polls Reveal Americans Think He's Physically and Mentally Unfit | Justin Hartley, Walt "Clyde" Frazier, Maddy Kelly | Tuesday, May 5

Summary

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

Episode: Trump Reinstates Fitness Test as Polls Reveal Americans Think He's Physically and Mentally Unfit | Justin Hartley, Walt "Clyde" Frazier, Maddy Kelly
Date: May 6, 2026

---

Episode Overview

This lively episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon blends sharp political satire with celebrity interviews, sports banter, fashion humor, and playful audience engagement. The main themes include President Trump’s return of the Presidential Fitness Test, public skepticism about his fitness for office, pop culture trends, the NBA playoffs, and entertaining conversations with actor Justin Hartley (of "Tracker") and New York Knicks legend Walt "Clyde" Frazier.

---

Key Segments & Discussion Points

1. Monologue: Political Satire and News Parody

Timestamps: 01:09 – 05:59

• Trump’s Presidential Fitness Test: Jimmy cracks wise about Trump signing a proclamation to reintroduce the Presidential Fitness Day to schools, rife with jabs about Trump’s own questionable fitness.
  • Quote:
    “Trump is very into fitness. In fact, whenever somebody asks about the Epstein files, he sprints out of the room.” — Jimmy Fallon (01:13)
• Polls on Trump's Fitness for Office: Fallon addresses recent polls suggesting most Americans see Trump as physically and mentally unfit, leading to more pointed jokes.
  • Quote:
    “At least he's rock solid, emotionally.” — Show Host/Interviewer (02:30)
• Cognitive Test Mockery: Clips of Trump describing his cognitive test provide fodder for jokes about its simplicity and Trump's own family confusion.
  • Quote:
    “Yeah, you get a little tough. That's where they ask you to identify your children by name.” — Show Host/Interviewer (03:10)
• War in Iran Update (Satirical): Parody news update on Trump’s handling of foreign policy, mispronounced terms, and push for a Nobel Peace Prize.
  • Highlights:
    • "Defensive mishes and missiles..." — Trump audio clip (03:42)
    • "Orion space capsicle..." — Trump audio clip (04:16)
    • "Nobel priest..." — Trump audio clip (04:41)
• Viral Oddities & Met Gala Fashion Segment: Comedic takes on the latest about RFK Jr. and animal rescues, and a fictional “Tonight Show fashion correspondent” segment poking fun at celebrity couture.
  • Fashion Quote:
    “Fashion isn’t about words. It’s about feeling. Come on, rate my outfit. Don’t think, just feel it." — Oregon von Valemuth (08:05)

---

2. Audience & Street Games – Knicks Fans Challenge

Timestamps: 09:15 – 12:15

• Repeat After Me at Madison Square Garden: Writer Deion tries to get Knicks fans to say random words without directly prompting them, creating comedic and awkward moments.
  • Memorable Moments:
    • Getting fans to say "velcro," "jellyfish," "microwave," "Mountain Dew," and "White Lotus."
    • Rapid-fire banter and sports clichés blend with word-association goofiness.
  • Quote:
    “What is it called when you get the jeepies? There's like an ocean animal...” — Deion (10:35), eventually leading to “jellyfish.”

---

3. Jimmy’s Knicks Game Experience

Timestamps: 13:07 – 14:52

• Fallon recounts being upgraded courtside at a Knicks–Sixers game, feeling self-conscious around players, and being pranked by Knicks player Josh Hart.
  • Quote:
    “He untied my shoe. It's the best move ever... From now on I'm going to wear cowboy boots to the Knicks game.” — Jimmy Fallon (14:52)

---

4. Guest Interview: Justin Hartley

Timestamps: 15:34 – 26:45

A. Personal Stories and Family

• Mother’s Day Stories: Justin shares a heartwarming and funny story about his mother photo-bombing paparazzi shots in Beverly Hills.
  • Quote:
    “She’s a very smart woman... but she’s also a bit of a clown.” — Justin Hartley (16:22)
• Daughter’s Graduation: Discussion of his daughter’s upcoming graduation, reflecting on fatherhood and pride.

B. Commencement Nerves & Career Origins

• Hartley admits nervousness ahead of his first college commencement speech and his circuitous entry into acting from a college class on children's literature.
  • Quote:
    “These people who wrote these nursery rhymes were like dropping acid... And you gotta interpret all this stuff. And it was an acting class.” — Justin Hartley (19:45)
• First Acting Gigs: Story about his debut on “Passions” and getting caught up in another actor's monologue.

C. "Tracker" Stories: Stunts & Cast Dream Guests

• Hartley discusses doing his own stunts—except the most dangerous—and jokes about "acting" through action scenes.
  • Quote:
    “I have a stunt team that does those stunts 100 times before I'm allowed to do it... But when you watch the show, I like to do my own stunts.” — Justin Hartley (21:30)
• Hopes for guest stars from "This is Us" and reflects on fan impact.
  • Quote:
    “It affects people in a very big way. It's incredible.” — Justin Hartley (23:07)
  • Sweet anecdote about a fan sharing how “This is Us” helped her process grief.

---

D. "Cue Card" Interview Game

Timestamps: 23:44 – 26:45

• Fallon lightens things with a game where Hartley must answer questions strictly by reading unseen cue cards, resulting in surreal and hilarious responses.
  • Highlights:
    • Confessing his “character dies and helps track down Abraham Lincoln in heaven, who’s out of Jamba Juice.” (25:48)
    • Bizarre imaginary Mother’s Day plans:
      “For Mother's Day, I'm gonna take off all my clothes, I'm gonna tape shrimp all over my body. And I'm gonna let the seagulls have their way with me for Mother's Day.” — Justin Hartley (26:24)
    • Fallon reveals the card actually says:
      “I'm taking my mom to a nice brunch.”

---

5. Guest Interview: Walt "Clyde" Frazier

Timestamps: 27:36 – 33:17

• Fashion Icon & Signature Style: Walt discusses inheriting fashion sense from his father, New York’s influence, and always striving for unique, standout suits.

  • Quote:
    “When I go to a suit place, I say, show me something you think nobody will wear.” — Walt Frazier (28:57)

• NBA History & “Clyde” Nickname: Origin of the “Clyde” nickname from his penchant for hats around the time of "Bonnie and Clyde."

  • Quote:
    “I used to steal the ball on the court... and I had a few bunnies running after me, too.” — Walt Frazier (29:55)

• Broadcasting & Rhyming Style: Known for his rhyming commentary (“styling and profiling,” “dishing and swishing”), Walt describes starting on radio and transitioning to TV, keeping his commentary memorable and accessible.

  • Quote Compilation:
    “Spinning and winning... Rising and surprising... charismatic, acrobatic, dramatic, emphatic.” — Walt Frazier (30:48–31:01)

• Legacy as Double Hall-of-Famer and role as a writer/artist (children’s books, coloring book).

• Knicks Analysis: Optimism about Knicks’ current team chemistry mirroring the great 1973 championship squad, highlighting camaraderie and teamwork.

  • Quote:
    “Their camaraderie, their teamwork, they like each other. It's manifested on the court. 33 assists, the way they're dishing and switching now to tenacious defense.” — Walt Frazier (33:14)

---

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• Satirical Trump-isms:
  • “That beautiful Orion space capsicle.” — Trump clip (04:16)
  • “The Nobel priest.” — Trump clip (04:41)
• Audience Participation Game:
  • “You gotta waba dabba the rabba baba mama llama.” — Oregon von Valemuth, fashion correspondent (07:39)
• Josh Hart Pranks Jimmy:
  • “He untied my shoe. It's the best move ever.” — Jimmy Fallon (14:52)
• Justin Hartley’s Surreal Mother’s Day Cue Card:
  • “I'm gonna let the Seagulls have their way with me for Mother's Day.” — Justin Hartley (26:24)

---

Important Upcoming Guests & Events

• Rolling Stones "Foreign Tongues" Week:
  • Mick Jagger (tomorrow), Keith Richards (Thursday), Ronnie Wood (next Wednesday).
• NBA Playoffs Coverage continues: Knicks coverage on MSG Network.

---

Episode Structure: At-a-Glance

• 01:09–05:59: Monologue — Trump news, polls, and surreal satire
• 05:59–08:29: Met Gala fashion parody (Oregon von Valemuth)
• 09:15–12:15: Knicks fans "Repeat After Me" game
• 13:07–14:52: Jimmy’s Knicks game courtside story, shoe prank
• 15:34–23:32: Justin Hartley interview — family, career, “Tracker”
• 23:44–26:45: Justin Hartley cue card interview game
• 27:36–33:17: Walt Frazier interview — style, broadcasting, Knicks history and future

---

Tone & Style

The episode maintains Tonight Show’s signature playful, rapid-fire, and self-deprecating humor, blending clever political satire, celebrity storytelling, sports nostalgia, gamesmanship, and a touch of surreal whimsy (e.g., the “cue card” game and bizarre fashion commentary).

---

Conclusion

For those who missed the episode, this show captured a vibrant cross-section of American pop culture in spring 2026: poking fun at politics, celebrating TV and sports heroes, and keeping things light with offbeat games and fashion comedy. Whether tuning in for a laugh at the day’s headlines, to catch up on celebrity insights, or to ride Knicks playoff fever, there’s something for everyone in this episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

Transcript

[Jimmy Fallon]

From Studio 6B in Rockefeller center in

[Walt Frazier]

the heart of New York City, it's

[Jimmy Fallon]

a Tonight show starring Jimmy Fallon.

[Oregon von Valemuth]

Tonight joins Jimmy and his guest, Dustin

[Jimmy Fallon]

Hartley, Walt Five Frazier, comedian Matty Kelly. And featuring the legendary Ruth Cru 22 Andy. And now here he is. Give me.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Come on.

[Jimmy Fallon]

That's what. That's what I'm talking about. Thank you very much. Enjoy yourself.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Enjoy yourself. Welcome, everybody. Welcome, welcome. Welcome to the Tonight Show.

[Jimmy Fallon]

This is it. You're here.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Thank you for watching. This is fun. Today is Cinco de Mayo. Yeah, Cinco de Mayo. Or as Cash Patel calls it, take your tequila to work day. Well, guys, some news from Washington this morning. President Trump signed a proclamation to officially bring the Presidential Fitness Day back to schools. Trump is very into fitness. In fact, whenever somebody asks about the Epstein files, he sprints out of the room. He really does. But this is nice. Trump said that the fittest kids will get to come to the White House and help build the ballroom. Isn't that nice? Trump signed the proclamation in the Oval Office alongside a group of children. Let's see how that went.

[Donald Trump (clips)]

It was a rigged election. And I said, oh, I'll do it again. I had the ultimate poll. I did so well. A Republican. I would say that Republicans were not too big in the Kennedy family. The Middle east would have been gone, Israel would have been gone, and they would have trained their sights on Europe first and then us.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Just. Just say six, seven, and get it. Come on, be nice. The kids are like, well, this could have been an email. Come on. Meanwhile, a new poll just found that most Americans think Trump is mentally and physically unfit to serve effectively. Well, at least he's rock solid, emotionally. Speaking of mental fitness, Trump just talked about how well he did on his recent cognitive test. Watch this.

[Donald Trump (clips)]

The first question is very easy and they always show. The first question is, you have a lion, a bear, an alligator, and a. What's another good. A squirrel. Okay. Which is the squirrel. By the time you get to the middle, they're tough.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Yeah, you get a little tough. That's where they ask you to identify your children by name.

[Audience Member/Fan]

I have no idea.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Well, guys, we're in the 10th week of the war in Iran, and it has been going well for President Trump. Let's break down the situation. The Strait of Hormuz is still blocked, which has limited a lot of business transactions, or as Trump calls them, business transactions. Also, the military is running low on defensive missiles, or as Trump calls them,

[Donald Trump (clips)]

defensive mishes and missiles.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Basically, after 10 weeks, it's not going the way Trump suspected.

[Justin Hartley]

Or is he?

[Show Host/Interviewer]

He says it's been a major test for the members of our armed forces. Or as he calls them, the members

[Donald Trump (clips)]

of our armed forces. And you understand that very well.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

But Trump still claims we're winning despite these obstacles. Or as he put it, despite these obstacles.

[Donald Trump (clips)]

Karen.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Overall, it feels like Trump's presidency is losing a lot of momentum. Or as he calls it, momentum. But together, America can do anything. We just sent four astronauts around the moon in that beautiful Orion space capsule. Or as he calls it, that beautiful Orion space capsicle. Anyway, no matter what happens, you know, Trump will still say he deserves the Nobel Peace Prize. Or as he calls it, the Nobel priest.

[Donald Trump (clips)]

Oh, do you know this?

[Show Host/Interviewer]

I hope that. Capsicle. Capsicle. Gosh. Now listen to this. According to a new report, Trump is planning to deport hundreds of bison from Montana. Meanwhile, raccoons without penises are like, take us with you. Speaking of RFK Jr, This is going viral. He recently posted a photo from the Dulles Airport in D.C. this is real. Holding a bird that he claimed he rescued. Take a look. Looks like he's trying to rob a bank. With a bird? Well, you know what they say. A bird in the hand is worth two raccoon penises in your pocket. Switching gears, the Met gala was last night, and there were so many amazing looks. Here to rate them is our Tonight show fashion correspondent, Oregon von Valemuth.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Hello, Jimmy.

[Oregon von Valemuth]

You look astronomically aboravent today. Shoe with sock. How dare you. I love it. Three maracas.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Thank you.

[Oregon von Valemuth]

No time. The looks are afoot. First up, Emma Chamberlain melting into a horrible puddle of daffodil daydream. This is floor length room service, and my tiny little belly's about to pop. Say yes to the dress, but the dress ain't listening. Three maracas.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Wait, wait. Is that good or bad?

[Oregon von Valemuth]

Sorry, baby. Fashion waits for no man. And Beyonce waits for no Stan. This ooky spooky Lukie has a bone to pick. And I say put it back on the shelf so you can hold these flowers. Come get your crown, queen. Cause the bee in apartment 23 is next on ABC. Three maracas.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

You're giving everything three maracas.

[Oregon von Valemuth]

Until now. Knock, knock. Who's there? Colman domingo. Sleeves in May 2009 called it said, Happy New Year. Two maracas and one for the road.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Is that a lot of maracas or not? Very many maracas.

[Oregon von Valemuth]

Let me make this real simple for you, Jimmy Chase Infinity. This fleur de lure burrs a burr and makes it purr. Cause kitty cat don't SAP where the bat don't crack. If you wanna be my lover you gotta waba dabba the rabba baba mama llama 3 maraca. Locke,

[Show Host/Interviewer]

you're not even saying words anymore.

[Oregon von Valemuth]

Cause fashion isn't about words. It's about feeling. Come on, rate my outfit. Don't think, just feel it.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Three maracas. How dare you, OR bun malamoop, everyone.

[Oregon von Valemuth]

Rabba baba ba da ba lubba ba mama ll.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Wow. And three maracas. Well, I saw that Netflix is launching a new vertical video feature to compete with TikTok. Oh, yeah. You can swipe through and watch short form clips of their content. There's even a vertical version of. Is it cake? Let's check it out.

[Walt Frazier]

Ooh.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Oh, that is cake. There you go. Finally, guys, it was a huge win at the Garden last night. The New York Knicks took Game 1

[Jimmy Fallon]

against the Philadelphia Sixers. Yes. Go Knicks.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Well, we wanted to have some fun with Knicks fans, so we sent our writer Deion down there and challenged him to get fans to say random words. He couldn't say the word himself or directly ask them to say it. Let's see how it went. This is. Repeat after me,

[Deion (Writer)]

Jimmy. We're down here at the world's most famous arena and we're going to talk to some of the fans about the NBA semifinals. Let's go. What do the Knicks have to do to be victorious tonight?

[Audience Member/Fan]

I mean, they got to keep playing like they were playing the last game, you know, Cat. No fouls. Hopefully another triple double.

[Deion (Writer)]

That's correct. And what game are they playing?

[Audience Member/Fan]

They're it. I mean, the game, it's the best one.

[Deion (Writer)]

What about the literal name of the game that they're playing?

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Basketball?

[Deion (Writer)]

It all starts on the defensive end. I love how confident you are. They gotta stick on them, right?

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Yeah, they do.

[Deion (Writer)]

Like that, like. Oh, what is it? That material that really sticks.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Like glue. Like glue.

[Deion (Writer)]

But it makes a sound when it sticks.

[Justin Hartley]

Velcro. Cat needs to go off. Ken needs to play with that New York, that defense.

[Deion (Writer)]

I'm so glad you said go off because off. You know, off that you spray off.

[Justin Hartley]

Yeah, the mosquitoes your wife just went to.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Where?

[Justin Hartley]

Paris.

[Deion (Writer)]

What's that bread that they make there?

[Justin Hartley]

I'll tell you what it is. Focaccia.

[Donald Trump (clips)]

The.

[Deion (Writer)]

The Sixers.

[Walt Frazier]

Give me the.

[Audience Member/Fan]

The.

[Deion (Writer)]

What is it called when you get the jeepies? There's like an ocean animal that I'm thinking of when I do this with the flaccid play, you know, what is that? What is that in the water all the time.

[Audience Member/Fan]

The what?

[Show Host/Interviewer]

A jellyfish.

[Deion (Writer)]

Yes, exactly.

[Walt Frazier]

Necks are hot, baby.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Deion (Writer)]

Compare their hotness to something else. Like maybe something you'd cook with Buffalo wings. But what kind of a device might you cook them in?

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Stove, grill, oven.

[Deion (Writer)]

One that blows real hot. What kind of appliance blows really hot?

[Audience Member/Fan]

Oven, barbecue, grill.

[Deion (Writer)]

One that blows directly down onto the food and cooks it.

[Walt Frazier]

Microwave. Microwave.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Let's go.

[Deion (Writer)]

Next. You know, I feel like one more thing. I just feel like a victory would be like, what is the phrase I'm looking for? It's like, maybe you remember it from, like, Colonel Sanders. You remember they would say of the chicken, it was finger licking.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Finger licking good.

[Oregon von Valemuth]

Yes.

[Deion (Writer)]

And what is the best thing to have to eat alongside of that Philly cheesesteak?

[Walt Frazier]

A beautiful, beautiful Coca Cola.

[Deion (Writer)]

You don't know what's gonna happen next. Like, on that.

[Donald Trump (clips)]

I hate.

[Deion (Writer)]

Wow. I can never think of the name of it. That one show on hbo, it's a series. It's crazy. There are hotels and stuff.

[Oregon von Valemuth]

Oh, they're White Lotus.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Is that what you're.

[Deion (Writer)]

Yes, that is exactly.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

What way is White Lotus?

[Oregon von Valemuth]

Like the New York Knicks to a

[Deion (Writer)]

soft drink, what would you compare them to?

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Coca Cola were the best in the game.

[Deion (Writer)]

Now, if you had to compare them to a green soft drink, what would it be?

[Justin Hartley]

Mountain Dew.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

All right, so actually, I won two free tickets.

[Deion (Writer)]

You just bounced over here from there?

[Show Host/Interviewer]

I'm right over here. God.

[Deion (Writer)]

Like, just like. What's that noise that it makes when you bounce down the street?

[Show Host/Interviewer]

I was like, boing, boing, boing.

[Justin Hartley]

You know, that's crazy, man.

[Deion (Writer)]

That's all from the Garden. Back to you, Jimmy.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Not bad, Dion. Nine out of 12. We have a great show. Give it up for the Roots, ladies and gentlemen. Yeah.

[Audience Member/Fan]

Up steps, the one and only in the flesh. Senegalese, Sierra Leone, and fresh. The death big. The homie in the rest. The rest, y' all know me from somewhere. Numbers black than west.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Oh, very good. Welcome, welcome, welcome to the Tonight Show.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Everybody, I want to mention some exciting news. We have some big guests coming up from the Rolling Stones, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood will all be

[Jimmy Fallon]

here on the show. Mick.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Mick is on tomorrow night. Keith is on Thursday, and then Ronnie is on next Wednesday. They have a new album out July 10th called Foreign Tongues. It's fantastic. We'll be talking to them about that. Lots of fun stuff planned. I cannot wait. It's Rolling Stones week on the Tonight Show.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Who? The Stones.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Foreign Tongues. It was a great game last night. Sorry, Roots, but Knicks roots are From Philly. But The Knicks won 137 to 98. 137. Yeah, it was great. I went to the game. I was lucky enough to get tickets to the game. So I went last night. And it happened again. They upgraded my seats because I'll take any seat. I'll go anywhere. But they go, oh, you want to sit? I go, I'm okay. And they go, yeah, you should do it. I go, I'm fine. They go, no. Then they put me next to the team. Oh, it's stressful. It's stress. I don't know what to do. I'm hearing play calls. I'm hearing the coach yell at the players, and they're yelling at. I mean, it's too inside. I don't like it. It frightens me. And I'm right next to them. They're standing right there. Make you feel tiny. Yeah, they're big athletes. Yeah. Even the referees are big. I mean, the referee's butt was in my face for, like, the whole game right there. I mean, I was just, like, sitting there, like, I don't want to get in anyone's way or so I don't make eye contact. I don't. I don't look at the Knicks because they've all been on the show. Jaylen Brunson been on a bunch of times. Kat has been on a bunch of times. Josh Hart has been on the show many times. Super fun guy and cool. But I don't want to distract him and have him go like, hey, how you doing? You know? But Josh. Josh Hart is just fun, and he's cool. So he came up to me and was like, what's up? I shook my hand. I didn't want anything to do with it. Just go play the game and win. And so anyways, the game's playing, they're winning, and then this happens to me. Watch this.

[Josh Hart]

Three minutes left in this third.

[Oregon von Valemuth]

Look at.

[Josh Hart]

Look at Josh Hart. You know, he's always known as a jokester and goes right up to the ultimate jokester. Jimmy Fallon says, yeah, let me. Let me help you out with that. Unties his shoe. That was a quick retie by Fallon.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

He untied my shoe. It's the best move ever. Did he lean down? I thought he was fixing stuff on his own. He went down and just untied my shoe. He walked off, man. It was just made me laugh. And now I'm just gonna know from now on, I'm just gonna wear cowboy boots to the knickking. Yeah. Go Knicks.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Thank You, Josh.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Guys stick around.

[Jimmy Fallon]

We'll be right back. Here we go. Let's get.

[Audience Member/Fan]

From A to Z and reach the most.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Today's guest is a talented actor who

[Show Host/Interviewer]

stars in an executive produce the series Tracker. New episodes air Sundays at 9pm on CBS and stream on Paramount. Please welcome Justin Hartley.

[Oregon von Valemuth]

Thanks so much.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

It's always great to see you. Thank you.

[Justin Hartley]

I appreciate that. It's always good to see you as well.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Congrats again. Yeah. There's Justin Hartley in the house. Congrats on Tracker. It's a big hit. That's fantastic. I saw your beautiful wife backstage. I was gonna ask you, what are you doing for Mother's Day? Anything.

[Justin Hartley]

Well, so look, Mother's Day, I work a lot, so a lot of times I'm not around my mother.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Justin Hartley]

For Mother's Day. But when I am around her, she's sort of like. How do I explain? She's a very smart woman, very beautiful woman, very regal, very knowledgeable, and just a treat. Everybody. She walks into a room, and everybody just loves Jackie. She's also a bit of a clown.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Okay.

[Justin Hartley]

And so I got time to spend with her. We were in Beverly Hills. We're shopping. My wife and I are shopping. And I notice that there's some paparazzi that are taking photos of. Which is fine. They're doing their own thing and they're out of the way. But I lean back to my mother and I say, hey, just so you know, I like to give you a little heads up. Like, there's photographs being taken, so whatever. And so she decides to do this whole photobombing thing with me. And it's unbelievable. I think I brought. Yeah, it's outrageous. This woman is like, here's you joking around. There we are trying to be cool and, like, hang out and do our thing. And there's my mother.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

She's doing faces and doing faces.

[Justin Hartley]

She's doing faces. So the funny thing is that she's really getting a kick out of it. My daughter's next to her, and she's really just really getting a kick out of the razzing me. So the next day I see this photo, and so I send it to her and I go, look at this. And she goes, oh, it's a good thing they don't publish those things. And I go, where the hell do you think I found the photo, mother? She was mortified and devastated. Devastated. But there's another picture of her really getting a kick out of her. Out of her. Yeah. Now that's what she really looks like, she's gorgeous.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

She's gorgeous. Gorgeous.

[Oregon von Valemuth]

Come on, Mom.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

We love you, Mom.

[Justin Hartley]

You see how happy she is about Raz and me like that?

[Show Host/Interviewer]

He's the best.

[Justin Hartley]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

We love you, Mom.

[Justin Hartley]

We love you. Happy Mother's Day.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

I saw that you're about to do a college commencement speech.

[Justin Hartley]

I am.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Have you done this before?

[Justin Hartley]

No. Okay.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

All right.

[Justin Hartley]

And so the deal with this whole thing, Jimmy, is that people were like. That's like the fifth time someone's asked me, have you done this before? And then they look at me like that, like, what have you gotten yourself into? Kind of.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Justin Hartley]

And I'm, like, starting to get really nervous about it now. I wasn't nervous before. I was fine. I was like, no, it's great. It's gonna be a lot of fun. I can't wait. These kids accomplish something. It's gonna be amazing.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

I.

[Justin Hartley]

Four years out of school. Or five, depending on how long it takes you. Whatever. And six. Whatever.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Let's go.

[Justin Hartley]

Let's be real.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Before you drop out. Before you drop out.

[Justin Hartley]

Whatever it takes.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

I don't know.

[Justin Hartley]

You and I are sitting here.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

I know. Exactly.

[Justin Hartley]

But now I'm starting to get a little nervous about it because it's a lot of pressure. Right. And I'm wondering, like, what I got myself into.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

No, you're gonna be fit. I hope so. They're gonna love you.

[Justin Hartley]

I hope so. I hope so.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Your daughter's graduating.

[Justin Hartley]

She's graduating. Yeah. She's graduating in a couple of. Couple months. Yeah.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Congratulations. That's wild.

[Justin Hartley]

Exciting. She's. Yeah, she does really. She does really well in school. She does a. Better than her father did in school. Let me put it that way.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Justin Hartley]

Yeah.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Did you know what you wanted to do when you were in college?

[Justin Hartley]

No. You know what? I had this really weird idea that I was gonna be. Not weird, but I thought I would be a teacher. My mom's a teacher, so I thought, we'll just go into teaching. Yeah, that's great and wonderful. But then I also had this sort of weird idea that I was gonna be kind of a coach, a professional coach of, like, basketball or baseball or football. I didn't have a sport. I just thought that'd be cool to be a. Like, Bill Cower's got a great job. You know what I mean? I thought I would do that. Just such a fool, really.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Yeah. So did you start to go to certain things?

[Justin Hartley]

No, I didn't do anything. I did nothing. I ended up doing. I ended up doing this Class in college, it was called Oral Interpretation of Children's Literature. And I thought, this is a blow off class. This is going to be easy. Nursery rhymes and things like that.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

In college?

[Justin Hartley]

In college, yeah. I thought this is the simple nursery, right?

[Jimmy Fallon]

Yeah.

[Justin Hartley]

Hickory, dickory, doc. All this kind of stuff, whatever. Easy A. And you get in there and you start to realize these people who wrote these nursery rhymes are like dropping acid or something's going on that doesn't make any sense. And you gotta interpret all this stuff. And it was an acting class, so you have to get up and perform these nursery rhymes and things like that. I ended up getting this acting bug. I ended up. I was horrified. Completely horrified.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Justin Hartley]

And then I just ended up loving it. I got cast in a play and I thought, well, this is the greatest thing in the world. I gotta try to do this for the rest of my life.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

So that's. And it turned out okay so far. So you don't have to coach or anything?

[Justin Hartley]

I don't have to coach anybody.

[Josh Hart]

Yeah.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Was your first gig on Passions?

[Justin Hartley]

My first gig was on Passions.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Passions was great.

[Justin Hartley]

It was a trip. It was a trip. And so I got this gig by the skin of my teeth. Barely got it. And I end up showing up and I'm working with this actor, Ben Masters. Late, great Ben Masters. Really talented actor, theater actor, New York actor, really great guy. And he has this three page monologue. I show up, he's my dad in the show. And my line is, hello, father. Makes sense, right? Yeah, easy enough. I got lost in the monologue. He did this three page monologue. This is like day one, he does this three page monologue. I'm just working his tail off, right? He turns around, looks at me, and I'm just mesmerized by this guy's acting. I didn't say a word.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

He didn't say hello.

[Justin Hartley]

I ruined the. No, I didn't say anything. I ruined his entire monologue. So that was how I introduced myself to acting.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

How many times did he have to do the monologue?

[Justin Hartley]

Well, he had to do it again.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Justin Hartley]

He wasn't too happy about that.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Yeah. But everything worked out okay. Here we are, season three of Tracker. You're crushing it, buddy. It's so good. It's well written. The stunts are good.

[Walt Frazier]

Yeah.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Are you getting better and better at doing stunts?

[Justin Hartley]

My stunt, you know, I try to do all of my own stunts and I say this in this way on camera. So in other words, when you see them, I like for the audience to see that it's me doing them. Which basically means that I have a stunt team that does those stunts 100 times before I'm allowed to do it at all. So it's not like I'm doing everything. They're doing all the heavy lifting. But when you watch the show, I like to do my own stunts. There's certain things they don't let you do. They're just too dangerous. You're not, you know, I'm not getting in car crashes. I'm not lighting myself on fire. I'm not, you know, I get hurt doing the fake fighting. So it's like, you know.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Yeah, that's your. Leave it like that.

[Justin Hartley]

I see a fake fight coming up and I'm like, oh, man, I gotta stretch out the neck.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Oh, you're so good at it. Yeah, thanks. And there's a lot of great. The cast is great as well, surrounding you. The special guest stars. Is there anyone, any dream guest stars you'd like to have on?

[Justin Hartley]

I mean, look. Well, look, I'm back here. This reminds me. I did a show here for a while called this is Us. I wouldn't mind having those guys on.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

I mean, they're busy.

[Justin Hartley]

They're all very, very busy. But yeah, I mean, I think what's such a diverse cast and they can all do a bunch of different things,

[Show Host/Interviewer]

so that would be so fun.

[Justin Hartley]

Yeah. They wouldn't come back, like, as my family or anything necessarily, but it would be cool to have them back on.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

That's when I first met you.

[Walt Frazier]

Yeah.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

So I'm happy. I'm thankful for that show. Me too.

[Justin Hartley]

Me too.

[Deion (Writer)]

Yeah.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Do people still come up to you and say, I love that show, this is us.

[Justin Hartley]

Yeah, we do. And it's more than just a show even. It's like. It's unbelievable. Just the other day, I had a woman walk up to me and tell me a story about her. Her mother had passed away. If you're watching, that was a lovely story. Her mother had passed away a year and a half ago. She said she had a really tough time getting over it and the show actually helped put her in a better place. And she looked me square in the eye. It was so touching. She didn't have to come up to me. She didn't have to say any of that.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

It affects people.

[Justin Hartley]

It affects people in a very big way. It's incredible. And we get the same thing. Believe it or not, with Tracker, where it's like multi generational. People will watch it with their dads, with their kids. It's awesome. It's like the greatest feeling in the world.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Yeah. Come on. You're great at it.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Justin Hartley, everybody. New episodes of Tracker premieres Sundays at 9pm on CBS and stream on Paramount. Justin and I are doing something fun

[Show Host/Interviewer]

at to the break.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Stick around.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Come on back.

[Walt Frazier]

Thank you very much.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Welcome back. I'm here with Justin Hartley once again. Now,

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Justin, you are on a. You're on a press tour for Tracker, and it can be exhausting answering so many questions. I feel like you could use a break. So we thought that we'd make this interview a little easier for you by writing all of your answers on cue cards over there. Oh. Now, here's the thing. Justin has not seen these cue cards yet. Don't look at them. Oh. So just read whatever's written on the cue cards. Okay. And we'll make this very.

[Justin Hartley]

You can ask me a question.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

I'll ask you a question. I'll set up.

[Justin Hartley]

I don't have to come up with anything.

[Oregon von Valemuth]

Nope.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

You just have to read the cue cards. All right, here we go. Tracker has been a thrill ride of a year for you. Yeah. What's been your favorite part of filming this season?

[Justin Hartley]

Oh, Jimmy, that's a really great question from an even greater man. My favorite part was exploring new types of terrain, like swamps, caves, Jamba Juice. So, for example, my character would often taste. Would often taste a drop of a smoothie on the ground, and he'd say something like, I know that flavor anywhere. That's mango a Go Go. This season. I said that like 6400 times.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Wow, that's. Yeah.

[Justin Hartley]

Mango a Go Go.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

That's a fascinating story.

[Justin Hartley]

Yeah, thanks.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Have you ever tried to survive alone in the wilderness?

[Justin Hartley]

Another. I mean, it's just another incredible question from a man I admire. Yeah. You're living. Yeah, yeah. No, I spent three years living in the woods where I fell in love with a. I did. I fell in love with a great horned owl.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Wow.

[Justin Hartley]

I'll never forget what she always used to say to me in owl speak. What is this, Al? Hoot. What's that?

[Jimmy Fallon]

Hoot. Hoot. Hoot. Hoot.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Yeah, yeah.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Hoot. Hoot. Hoot.

[Oregon von Valemuth]

Wow.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

That's a great story. That's beautiful. You like that?

[Walt Frazier]

Yeah.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

That's a beautiful. That's a beautiful story.

[Justin Hartley]

It's all true.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

So what can you tell us about the season three finale? I mean.

[Justin Hartley]

Well, this is. It isn't a spoiler. This actually is kind of a spoiler. But basically, my character dies and he goes to heaven. The angels are like, help. Abraham Lincoln is missing. So I track him down. It turns out he's out of Jamba Juice.

[Jimmy Fallon]

This shows unbelievable storylines. Obsessed with Jamba Juice.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Unbelievable storylines. Thank you for sharing that.

[Walt Frazier]

Yeah, yeah.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

One last question. Mother's Day's coming up. Any big plans?

[Justin Hartley]

Yeah, I'm gonna.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Yeah, I'm gonna.

[Jimmy Fallon]

I'm gonna.

[Justin Hartley]

For Mother's Day, I'm gonna take off all my clothes, I'm gonna tape shrimp all over my body. And I'm gonna let the Seagulls have their way with me for Mother's Day.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

That's weird. That's not what the card says at all. Can we see the card what it says? I'm taking my mom to a nice brunch. You just talk about it.

[Jimmy Fallon]

That's so aware. Have a great Mother's Day. Thank you for doing that. Justin. Harley, good morning. We. Good morning. Tonight, everybody, two things are doing next point.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Tonight have the Seagulls had their way with me. Our next guest is a new york knicks legend. He's a two time NBA champion, a hall of famer, and he's the voice of the new york knicks on msg network. Please welcome walt clive frazier.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Welcome.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Oh, that's what I'm talking about. Welcome to the show. It is an honor to have you here. I always love seeing you at the games too. And thanks for always being nice to me every time I see you.

[Walt Frazier]

Thank you, man. The blessing is mine. Praise God, for whom our blessings flow. After all these years, you guys just show me all this respect. I really appreciate that.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

We love you. And you always look so good. You got that style. It's always. I mean, when did you start dressing this great?

[Walt Frazier]

It's genetic. My dad was a guy into clothes.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Oh, is that right?

[Walt Frazier]

Yeah. Yeah. And then I came to the Mecca for fashion.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Oh, yeah. New York.

[Walt Frazier]

So when we played, we always wore a suit and tie. Our items were the temptation. The Four Tops.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Yeah, yeah.

[Walt Frazier]

So today the guys dressed like the rappers.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Walt Frazier]

You see, so no, we came with shirt and tie. Always trying to outdress the other guy. And also, I wasn't playing good as a rookie, so in order to pacify myself, I went shopping.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Is that right? I mean, here's some looks that you've done throughout the years. Come on. That's. That was good. When you're looking for a suit, how do you know which one's yours?

[Walt Frazier]

Well, when I go to a suit place, I say, show me something you think nobody will wear.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

And then you wear it, and you're really good at it. You were the first NBA Player to have a signature sneaker, by the way. The Puma Clyde. Come on. That's legendary. Legendary.

[Walt Frazier]

And also, I was the first guy with the bling. The fur coat.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Yeah, of course. Look at that.

[Walt Frazier]

The Rolls Royce.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

I remember all that stuff.

[Walt Frazier]

Yeah. Joe Namath and I were controlling the city back in the. Back in the 70s.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Yeah. Where did the nickname Clyde come from?

[Walt Frazier]

Okay, the hat. You see the hat? I was in Baltimore. I was looking in a hat store, and I see this bossalina hat. So I bought the hat. First time I wore it, everybody laughed at me. My teammates, guys on the other team. Because, like today, they were wearing the narrow brim. And then, as fate would have it, the movie Bonnie and Clyde came out,

[Show Host/Interviewer]

and Warren Beatty's wearing that hat.

[Walt Frazier]

Yeah, yeah, so. And I used to steal the ball on the court, you know, And I had a few bunnies running after me, too. But, you know,

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Clyde, I love it. Another great thing that I love about you is you're commentating, and you're very smart, and you obviously know the game and you study it, but you also rhyme very well. You start rhyming out of nowhere. You actually even have a children's book called Winning and Grinning.

[Walt Frazier]

Correct.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Yeah. And also a coloring book as well. Yeah. For kids. Winning and grinning.

[Walt Frazier]

What a color. The coloring book. Folks, is I trying to teach kids styling and profiling? Do Clyde's suits. Color Clyde's suits.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Yeah. Come on. Styling and profiling.

[Walt Frazier]

Right?

[Josh Hart]

Right.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Yeah. I want to show everyone a video of what I'm talking about when I say you rhyme a lot. Take a look.

[Walt Frazier]

It's contagious. Outrageous. Slamming and jamming.

[Deion (Writer)]

Spinning and winning.

[Walt Frazier]

Rising and surprising and weaving and achieving. Wheeling and chilling. Charismatic. Acrobatic.

[Deion (Writer)]

Dramatic.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Emphatic.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Come on. This is the best.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

How did all that start?

[Walt Frazier]

Well, you know, I started. I started on radio. So the guy I was working with, he never let me say anything. So if I try to say something, he'd go, excuse me, Walt, right on the air. So if the team was moving the ball and dishing, I'd go, when he had to catch his breath, they're dishing and swishing. They're shaking and baking.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Just keep jumping in, trying to get something to say.

[Walt Frazier]

And then I got a chance to work with Mike Breen. And Mike, of course. So you guys are great, Goes Clyde. The fans want to hear what you have to say, man. So just say it, you know?

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Walt Frazier]

So he catapulted me into the hall of Fame. Mike and I are both hall of Famers now.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Yeah. You're a double hall of Famer. Double hall of Famer, are you? The mike is great, too. Are. Are you the only NBA player in. In it twice?

[Walt Frazier]

Yeah. I'm the first guy into broadcasting. The former player.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Come on. He's a Hall of Fame twice. That's what I'm talking about. You actually brought us a notebook that you actually use to come up with the different rhymes and stuff. This is your handwriting, by the way.

[Walt Frazier]

Wow. It's Helter Skelter. When I'm on the plane, I fly on the plane with the Knicks writer. I'm the only guy with this. Everybody else has a computer, a phone.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

You're in my hand. Yeah, you're old school, man, all the way.

[Walt Frazier]

Well, I find that when I write stuff, I retain it more.

[Jimmy Fallon]

I write stuff now and always. I agree.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

You should. The last time the Knicks have won a championship was your 1973 championship winning team. Yeah, you. You did it. What do you think of. Of the Knicks this year and do we have a shot?

[Walt Frazier]

Well, last night, man, I'm. I'm mesmerized.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Right.

[Walt Frazier]

By the way the team is playing. Actually, I'm living vicariously. They remind me of my team. My team personified team. You couldn't mention Frazier without Bradley, without the Bushy, without Reed, without Barnett. And I see similarities to this team. So they're starting to do that. Their camaraderie, their teamwork, they like each other. It's manifested on the court. 33 assists, the way they're dishing and switching now to tenacious defense.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

Come on.

[Walt Frazier]

So hopefully we'll see another championship, guys.

[Show Host/Interviewer]

We hope that's another title.

[Jimmy Fallon]

Come on. The one and only. There's no one better. Clyde Frazier. Clyde Frazier, everybody. Check out the Knicks pregame and post game coverage on MSG Network all playoffs long. We'll be right back with more tonight. Joe, stick around.