Jimmy Fallon Reveals Biggest Fear, And It’s Not What You’d Expect
On the Hot Ones episode airing October 31, Jimmy Fallon took a rare, serious moment to share what scares him most about his career in comedy and the unforgettable memories that shaped his journey. Jimmy, who’s known for making people laugh as host of The Tonight Show, sat down with Sean Evans to reflect on his biggest fears — and his iconic Saturday Night Live days ahead of his comedy album release, Holiday Seasoning, on November 1.
Jimmy, 50, said his greatest fear isn’t failure or competition. Instead, it’s the dreaded silence that comedians know all too well. “As a comedian, silence. The deafening silence is my biggest fear, crying on camera which is happening now, my biggest fear. Probably my biggest fear is giving up in front of the American public and I’m not doing that,” he admitted.
The comedian also shared his favorite sketch from his SNL days, which many fans will recognize right away: the legendary “More Cowbell” sketch. The unforgettable scene from 2000 had Jimmy, Will Ferrell, Christopher Walken, and others playing members of the band Blue Öyster Cult.
“Everyone was so funny in that sketch. Christopher Walken wasn’t even talking like a human being, he was doing like an impression of himself,” Jimmy recalled.
Further recalling a hilarious on-set moment, Jimmy described how Will Ferrell and Chris Kattan turned the sketch into something even funnier. “I remember I had one line and right as I’m about to give my line, Kattan and Will improvised and pushed each other. Kattan knocked Will’s sunglasses off and I could see the eyes of a lunatic and I started laughing, and then that’s what got my reputation as the guy who laughs during all the sketches. That was great, Debby Downer, I was a part of that sketch. I was really solid on that until the way, way, way end,” he shared.
But Jimmy’s comedy moments haven’t all been about laughs and sketches. During his time on Hot Ones, he also described working with one of his closest friends, Justin Timberlake. Jimmy revealed how Justin’s dedication to his craft amazed him, even during a light-hearted sketch like the Barry Gibb Talk Show.
“I remember we were doing SNL, and we’re doing the Barry Gibb talk show, so we’re about to go, like 20 seconds to air, and he goes, ‘Hey Jimmy remember, hit that harmony,’ and I go, ‘Yeah, I will,’ and he squeezed my hand and goes, ‘I’m serious dude, remember to hit that harmony.’ And I’m like calm down dude, we’re dressed like the Bee Gees, for that second I felt what it was like to be Lance Bass,” Jimmy recounted.
Jimmy also laughed about Justin’s intensity, joking that for a second, he felt like *NSYNC’s Lance Bass, Justin’s former bandmate. “He’s one of the most talented human beings on earth, he’s a perfectionist,” he said, clearly impressed by his friend’s commitment.
As for the upcoming comedy album Holiday Seasoning, Jimmy is ready to bring even more laughs — this time through music. But his Hot Ones appearance proved one thing – no matter how big he gets, he’ll always have a deep respect for the craft of comedy and the people who made him laugh along the way.
