The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

Episode: Trump Rejects "Woke" Honorees While Hosting Kennedy Center Honors | Guests: Mila Kunis, Zooey Deschanel, Sam Altman
Date: December 9, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of The Tonight Show features Jimmy Fallon delivering his signature blend of topical comedy and celebrity interviews. The show kicks off with monologue jokes targeting recent political and entertainment news, then welcomes three high-profile guests: Mila Kunis (star of "Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery"), Zooey Deschanel (discussing her film "Merv"), and Sam Altman (CEO of OpenAI, discussing AI and ChatGPT). Notable highlights include a humorous "Real Housewives" reenactment by The Roots, a competitive holiday décor discourse, tales from the set of "Elf" and "New Girl," and an accessible yet thoughtful conversation on the impact and trajectory of AI.

Key Segments & Highlights

1. Monologue and Topical Jokes

Timestamps: 01:08 - 06:00

• Trump Hosts Kennedy Center Honors: Jokes about President Trump hosting the event himself, rejecting "woke" honorees, and comic imagery of the red carpet being one of his neckties.
  • “It was like the Golden Globes. If the host was also a Golden Globe.” – Chris Distefano (01:17)
  • “Trump said he rejected honorees who were too woke. Then he slept through all the acceptance speeches.” – Chris Distefano (01:39)
• Media Acquisitions: Satirical takes on Netflix buying Warner Bros. and HBO, and Paramount countering with an even bigger bid.
  • “If Warner Bros. was an edible arrangement, CNN is the cantaloupe.” – Chris Distefano (02:04)
  • “Tubi offered 20 bucks, a pack of Slim Jims, and two scratch offs.” – Chris Distefano (02:35)

2. "Real Housewives of Potomac" Reenactment

Timestamps: 02:43 - 05:09

• The Roots’ Tariq and Questlove dramatically reenact a heated scene, punctuated by Jimmy Fallon and Chris Distefano’s playful interjections.
• Memorable exchange (parodying reality TV drama):
  • “You are a try hard just like your fashion.” – Chris Distefano, as Stacey (04:46)
  • “Get your ass up out of my face. Not today you won’t act unladylike. Take your things and be gone. Toodaloo.” – Jimmy Fallon (04:50)

3. Weather Comedy Segment

Timestamps: 05:44 - 08:13

• Jerome Davis (weather correspondent, comedic bit) describes coping with New York’s cold via absurd methods, with audio “miscommunications” and running jokes:
  • “It’s so cold right now, I’m going to go hug a toaster oven to defrost my nipples.” – Jerome Davis (06:07)
  • “I keep my core warm by slowly drizzling my chest with hot nacho cheese.” – Jerome Davis (07:10)

Guest: Mila Kunis – “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery”

Timestamps: 08:48 - 22:39

Personal and Family Life

• Mila jokes about her “wrong dress for sitting” and her penchant for over-the-top holiday decorations:
  • “If there’s a Hallmark card, I have a decoration. Name it.” – Mila Kunis (09:51)
  • “When we got together, [Ashton’s] house was sleek and modern... then he walked into my house and was like, tchotchke’s everywhere.” – Mila Kunis (10:01)
• She describes inclusive, exuberant decorating for multiple holidays, including both Christmas and Hanukkah.
• Discusses creative gift-giving with husband Ashton Kutcher, limited to homemade gifts under $150 (loophole: "homemade by someone else" allowed). Recent example: An Etsy “Tin Man” with Chicago Bears theme (12:37), and a custom sardine box for her love of sardines (13:55).

Film Discussion: “Wake Up Dead Man: Knives Out”

• Praises the cast and director Rian Johnson, highlighting the collaborative and fun environment:
  • “No one ever goes back to a trailer... we’re in a tent playing backgammon or hanging out.” – Mila Kunis (15:09)
• Admits her detective character isn’t the most competent:
  • “I’m not even that good of a cop in this.” – Mila Kunis (15:41)

Game: “Snap Judgments”

• Mila and Chris Distefano play a game guessing truths and lies about each other:
  • Fun revelations: Chris did NOT wear eyeliner after seeing Brad Pitt; Mila’s first pet was NOT named Jason Priestley; Chuck Norris truly did teach young Mila how to punch and kick during a guest spot on "Walker, Texas Ranger" (21:54).

Notable Quotes

• “Because I love sardines and [Ashton] loves that I love sardines, he got me a custom made sardine box.” – Mila Kunis (13:55)
• “Chuck Norris taught me how to punch and kick.” – Mila Kunis (22:05)

Guest: Zooey Deschanel – “Merv”

Timestamps: 23:10 - 32:37

Reunions and Holiday Decor

• Reminisces on filming a past music video with Jimmy and shooting multiple genres (Bobby Brown, Prince, Michael Jackson). (23:34)
• Talks about her extravagant home holiday decorations, all arranged by professionals from a company called Glitterville:
  • “They come in and just decorate our whole house. Takes like six days. It’s a lot.” – Zooey Deschanel (25:05)

“Elf” and “New Girl” Stories

• Reveals that her singing in Elf was written for her by Jon Favreau because she’s a singer, not a skateboarder! (26:10)
• Narrates how Prince became a fan of her show “New Girl,” requested to appear, and how she hosted him on set, discussing everything from pancakes to omelets with coconut oil. Her “superpower” is not being intimidated by anyone (27:25 - 29:07).
  • “Prince loves New Girl, watching it on tour with his band. Very invested in Nick and Jess.” – Zooey Deschanel (27:55)
  • “I’m like his host for the day. I hung out with Prince. We talked about pancakes, omelets... He made omelets with coconut oil.” – Zooey Deschanel (29:07)

Film “Merv”

• Describes “Merv” as a heartwarming romcom about exes co-parenting a dog who gets depressed after their breakup, with Christmas in the background (31:53).
  • “It’s got Christmasy elements, it’s got dog elements, and it has rom com elements.” – Zooey Deschanel (32:13)

Guest: Sam Altman – CEO, OpenAI and ChatGPT

Timestamps: 33:19 - 41:28

Explaining ChatGPT

• Sam gives a “dad-friendly” description:
  • “It’s like an AI chatbot. You ask a question, it tells you.” – Sam Altman (34:07)
  • “You can use it instead of Google, for advice... it’s like a general purpose life advisor.” (34:48)
• Shares stories of users benefiting from AI suggestions for medical conditions (34:32).

AI, Parenting, and Everyday Use

• Candid about using ChatGPT for parenting advice:
  • “I cannot imagine having gone through figuring out how to raise a newborn without ChatGPT.” – Sam Altman (35:55)
• Admits to “paranoid parent moments” and how AI offers personalized reassurance (36:44).

AI’s Societal Impact

• Addresses equity:
  • “The richest, most powerful person in the world got the same piece of hardware that billions of other people got. AI is pushing in the same direction...” – Sam Altman (38:10)
• Cautions on rapid change:
  • “No other technology has ever been adopted by the world this fast... The rate at which jobs will change may be pretty fast.” (38:51)
• Optimistically foresees scientific breakthroughs:
  • “Next year, I hope we’ll start to see these models really make small but important new scientific discoveries. And in five years, I hope they’re curing diseases.” (41:08)

Notable Quotes & Moments by Timestamp

• “If Warner Bros. was an edible arrangement, CNN is the cantaloupe.” – Chris Distefano (02:04)
• “No one ever goes back to a trailer... we’re in a tent playing backgammon or hanging out.” – Mila Kunis on the “Knives Out 3” set (15:09)
• “I cannot imagine having gone through figuring out how to raise a newborn without ChatGPT.” – Sam Altman (35:55)
• “Prince loves New Girl, watching it on tour with his band. Very invested in Nick and Jess.” – Zooey Deschanel (27:55)
• “Chuck Norris taught me how to punch and kick.” – Mila Kunis (22:05)

Timestamps for Key Sections

• 01:08 – Monologue jokes (Trump, entertainment mergers)
• 02:43 – Real Housewives reenactment
• 05:44 – Weather correspondent comedy
• 08:48 – Mila Kunis interview (holidays, “Knives Out 3,” Snap Judgments game)
• 23:10 – Zooey Deschanel interview (decor, “Elf,” “New Girl”/Prince, “Merv”)
• 33:19 – Sam Altman interview (ChatGPT, AI, parenting stories, societal impact)
• 41:28 – Show close

Summary

This episode blends pointed political satire with playful celebrity banter and relevant tech discussion. Monologue jokes lampoon Trump and streaming wars, while guest segments oscillate between lighthearted (Kunis’ sardine obsession, Deschanel’s Prince anecdotes) and substantive, particularly in Sam Altman’s candid assessment of AI’s promise and perils. The conversational tone is relaxed and organic, driven by genuine rapport and quick-witted humor, making the episode as informative as it is entertaining.