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The Tonight Show Fallon - Season 13 - Episode 45: Quinta Brunson, Darren Criss, Taylor Dearden, Thundercat
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00:07From Studio 6B and Rockefeller's center in the heart of New York City,
00:12it's The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon.
00:17Tonight, join Jimmy and his guests,
00:19Krista Brunson, Darren Criss,
00:22Taylor Deardis,
00:23musical guest, Thundercat,
00:25and featuring the legendary Ruth Curry.
00:30And now, here he is,
00:36Jimmy Fallon!
00:53Thank you very much.
00:55I love you.
00:56Hey, what's up?
00:57Love y'all.
01:01Come on!
01:03Come on!
01:04I love you.
01:05Thank you so much.
01:06Enjoy yourself, everybody.
01:08Welcome, welcome, welcome to The Tonight Show!
01:11You're here.
01:12You're here.
01:12You're here.
01:14You're here.
01:14You guys seem like you're in a good mood.
01:16I think I know why.
01:17Today is 420.
01:18Uh, great.
01:20That's really important.
01:22Yeah, all day long, the air in New York City smelled exactly like it does every other day of the
01:27year.
01:29Yeah, 420 is a huge day for Venmo transactions that are labeled utility bill.
01:35Let's get to some news.
01:36Well, guys, the war continues on.
01:38Of course, I'm talking about the one between President Trump and Pope Leo.
01:42Following their feud, Pope Leo said that debating Trump is not in my interest at all.
01:48Yeah, I think the Pope is tired of dealing with Trump.
01:50Let's just say today there was a different smoke coming from the Vatican.
01:54Happy 420.
01:56And get this, after Trump spent the last week fighting with the Pope, he's about to take part in a
02:00public reading of the Bible.
02:01Ha!
02:02From the Oval Office.
02:04He wants to practice a little, so we'll help him out.
02:06I'll start the Bible verse, and then the president will finish it.
02:10All right, let's try it.
02:10All right, here we go.
02:13In the beginning, God created the heavens and...
02:16Burger King, Wendy's, and McDonald's.
02:24Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear...
02:29The Epstein Files.
02:38For God so loved the world that he gave us his one and only...
02:42Magnificent, big, beautiful ballroom.
02:48Give us this day our daily...
02:51Viagra.
02:56Do unto others as you would have them do unto...
03:00What to do, or do they know what to do?
03:02That's even scarier, if they do know what to do and they're not doing it.
03:10God said, let there be light.
03:12And there was...
03:13No! Get those lights off!
03:15Off!
03:19Last one.
03:21In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the...
03:24Easter, buddy.
03:25All right.
03:26Keep practicing.
03:27Keep practicing, sir.
03:32Very close.
03:33So close.
03:35While everyone's talking about this over the weekend,
03:37Trump announced a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz,
03:40and within 12 hours, it fell apart and is now closed again.
03:44Nobody knows whether the Strait of Hormuz is open or closed.
03:47It is basically the Toys R Us of Water Wave.
03:50I thought you were out of business.
03:52You're back?
03:53Is Toys R Us in business?
03:55No.
03:56But they were, right?
03:57Yeah, for about a day.
03:58Like last week.
03:59Yeah.
04:01Yep, Trump hasn't been this annoyed with the famous Strait
04:03since Mike Pence.
04:05Hi-ho!
04:07Hey-ho!
04:08You take that one home with you.
04:09Come on, that's a good one.
04:11Yeah, you got it.
04:11It's all yours.
04:13And now Trump is sending a delegation
04:15to negotiate a peace deal with Iran.
04:17And we actually got an exclusive audio
04:18from behind closed doors of Trump deciding
04:21who to put on the negotiating team.
04:23Listen to that.
04:23Mr. President, who do you want to send to Pakistan
04:25to negotiate?
04:26Kid Rock?
04:27No.
04:27Yay?
04:28No.
04:28Diddy?
04:29No.
04:29The DoorDash Grandma?
04:30No.
04:30William Shatner, Priceline Negotiator?
04:32No.
04:33Pam Bondi?
04:33Fired.
04:34Kristi Noem?
04:35Fired.
04:35Cash Patel?
04:36About to be fired.
04:37Don Jr.?
04:37Yeah, Dad, you need me?
04:38No.
04:39Aw, sir, what if we sent the vice president?
04:41All right, what's his name?
04:42DJ Tanner?
04:42No.
04:43J.K. Rowling?
04:44No.
04:44P.F. Chang?
04:45No.
04:45L.L. Cool J?
04:46No.
04:47O.J. Simpson?
04:48No, it's J.D. Vance.
04:49Right.
04:49Can I golf now?
04:50Sure.
04:50Yay!
04:51Me too?
04:52No.
05:01Well, get this, Trump announced plans to build a sculpture garden
05:04with 250 statues for America's 250th anniversary this summer.
05:09But sources say it's unlikely even one statue will be ready in time.
05:13Yeah, they won't have enough time to make the statue,
05:15so they're just going to put Mitch McConnell out in the lawn.
05:21Weird.
05:22You guys see this?
05:23Today, FBI Director Cash Patel filed a $250 million lawsuit
05:28against The Atlantic over a report on his alleged heavy drinking.
05:32I don't think it helped his case,
05:34because he said,
05:34I'm suing you for $250 million dollaritas.
05:37Oh.
05:41Wow.
05:42You see how it would hurt his case?
05:44Yeah, man.
05:45Because he said,
05:47he said in the case,
05:48that he would sue for $250 million dollaritas.
05:51Oh, like a margarita.
05:53Yeah, yeah, yeah.
05:53The famous drink special.
05:55The famous drink special from...
05:59T.J. Fried?
06:00Applebee's or something?
06:01Applebee's?
06:01Yeah, Applebee's.
06:02Yeah.
06:02By the way, we went to Applebee's the other night.
06:04How was it?
06:05It's fantastic.
06:07Applebee's is unbelievable.
06:09The one in Times Square has got like four floors.
06:11We went to the fourth floor of Penthouse, dude.
06:13Really?
06:13The Penthouse at Applebee's?
06:15Unbelievable.
06:16Shout out to Applebee's in Times Square.
06:17They're the best.
06:18Love them.
06:19They're the best time.
06:20Pretzel sticks.
06:21How many dollaritas did you have before you ate?
06:24What's that?
06:25How many dollaritas did you have before you ate?
06:27I did have two of these, like, backyard Blackberry something.
06:30They came in like a goldfish bowl.
06:34I had to add an Uber to my Uber.
06:37Mmm!
06:38Dollaritas.
06:39But then I forgot they do have that drink.
06:41It's like a margarita or something with a beer in it.
06:43Yeah, beer-a-rita.
06:44Fantastic.
06:45Wow.
06:45I didn't have, I had one years ago at Bubba Gump.
06:48At Bubba Gump, you had one.
06:50Bubba Gump, they make those, yeah.
06:51They make a beer-a-rita at Bubba Gump.
06:53Bubba Gump, fantastic place.
06:57What kind of shrimp do they have?
06:58They ask you, film trivia.
06:59What kind of shrimp do they have?
07:00Oh, they have Cajun shrimp.
07:01Yeah.
07:04What else?
07:05What other kind of shrimp?
07:07I have shrimp.
07:08I can't go into it.
07:11I mean, we can't afford to take lines from that script.
07:14But I do, I love Bubba Gump.
07:16I used to love, I was obsessed with theme restaurants.
07:20The All-Star Cafe, do you remember that one?
07:22Yeah.
07:23Like all these sports stars opened up this place.
07:25I sat by myself in a giant baseball glove table.
07:29It was so funny.
07:30You sat in a baseball glove?
07:32It was a giant baseball glove table.
07:34It was empty.
07:35They were going out of business.
07:36So I just went, I go, I want to sit there.
07:37Shocking.
07:37I sat right in the mitt.
07:39Right.
07:41Your ball sat right there.
07:42That's great.
07:45Let's change this subject.
07:46All right.
07:47Yeah.
07:47Guys, reality dating shows are huge right now.
07:49You guys like those dating shows?
07:51I love them.
07:53The one thing I've noticed they all have in common
07:55is the type of music that you hear in the show.
07:57Well, here to break that down for us
07:59is reality show songwriting duo Jeff and Steph.
08:02Welcome to the show, guys.
08:03Thanks for having us.
08:04Thanks for having us.
08:06No.
08:07What can you guys tell us about writing music
08:09for these kinds of shows?
08:11Well, Jimmy, honestly, there's a bit of a science to it.
08:14A formula, if you will.
08:15Oh, interesting.
08:16Would you mind demonstrating that for us?
08:18Oh, absolutely.
08:20Here's how you write a song for a steamy, sensual scene
08:23you'd see in Love is Blind or Love Island.
08:26Okay.
08:28First, you sing a melody that sounds like this.
08:31First, you sing a melody that sounds like this.
08:35Then you add a beat that sounds like this.
08:38Boo-ch.
08:39Boo-boo-boo-boo-ch.
08:41Then there's a big build followed by silence.
08:44Where you say something provocative like...
08:49Love is a scorpion.
08:52Oh, thanks for that.
08:59Guys, what does love as a scorpion mean?
09:02Nothing.
09:04It doesn't matter what you say right there.
09:06All that matters, Jimmy?
09:08Vibes.
09:09That's fascinating.
09:10Well, what if the scene is more romantic or sweet?
09:13Oh, you want romantic and sweet?
09:15Easy.
09:16That goes a bit like this.
09:19You sing this one a little slower.
09:22Then you hear a twinkly piano.
09:25Bling!
09:26Then it starts to build.
09:28Because the people are in love.
09:30And you leave them space to kiss.
09:35Then you say love is a scorpion.
09:37Oh, yeah, nice.
09:38Hold on.
09:39I'm sorry.
09:41I'm sorry.
09:42Hold on a second.
09:42I'm just...
09:43I'm sorry.
09:44Wait.
09:44What is it?
09:45What is it, Jimmy?
09:46Love is a scorpion again?
09:48We can't help if it works, Jimmy.
09:50If it ain't broke.
09:51Yeah.
09:52So you just say that at the end of all these songs?
09:55Kinda.
09:57I'm sorry, but we have to move on.
09:59No, no.
09:59Wait.
10:00Jimmy, can we do one more, please?
10:01Please.
10:02This one is different.
10:02We promise.
10:04There's no love is a scorpion?
10:05No.
10:06No, no, no.
10:07No, no.
10:07We promise.
10:08Okay, go for it.
10:09This is like grand finale.
10:11Two contestants have found love.
10:13Epic.
10:14Okay, I like this.
10:15Take it away.
10:16This one is super upbeat.
10:19And you say the word forever so the viewer is hopeful.
10:22And then you do a chant like, oh, oh, oh, oh.
10:26Oh, oh, oh, oh.
10:27And everyone feels good about the outcome of the show.
10:30And the credits start to roll.
10:32This is great, guys.
10:34And one last time you say, love is a scorpion.
10:36Ah, I knew it was fun.
10:38Hey, Jeff and Steph, everybody.
10:40Why would we have a...
10:43Yeah.
10:48Well, some business news.
10:49Gatorade announced that they're planning to remove artificial colors
10:52and reduce sugar in their drinks.
10:54Oh.
10:54Yeah, it's part of the revolutionary new beverage line called water.
11:02And finally, before we move on, I'd like to take a moment
11:04to thank some of our sponsors for tonight's show.
11:06They don't always fit in commercial breaks.
11:07We want to make sure that they all get a mention on the show.
11:10It's time for Tonight Show's Sponsor.
11:13Tonight Show's Sponsor.
11:15Tonight Show's Sponsor.
11:21Liz, so you're bald.
11:29Fair warning, it's super obvious when you're on us.
11:37Olive Garden.
11:38When you're here, you're divorced and it's your weekend with the kids.
11:46Instacart.
11:47When you need the wrong things and the wrong sizes
11:49at the wrong temperatures.
11:55Milk Bone.
11:56Come on, take a bite.
11:57You know you want it.
12:04McDonald's.
12:04Sometimes you just need to eat some McDonald's.
12:11Oh!
12:13Wow!
12:14Oh, my gosh.
12:17Door Dash.
12:18Even though you only opened your door a crack,
12:20we saw everything.
12:27Robitussin.
12:28Teaching kids how to take shots since 1979.
12:36Dole.
12:37Somewhere right now, we're having an all-staff meeting
12:39about bananas.
12:51And finally, Funyuns.
12:53Happy 420.
12:56That's all for Tonight Show's Sponsors.
12:58We have a great show tonight.
12:59Quinter Brunson is here!
13:03Darren Criss is joining us!
13:07From the pit, Taylor Dearden is here!
13:10And we got great music from Thundercat!
13:14Stick around.
13:15We'll be right back with Quinter Brunson, everybody.
13:17Come on back!
13:20Yes, yes, you're to the beyond.
13:22Party having people guaranteed they'd be like having a ball.
13:25Quinter, something goes down.
13:28Yeah.
13:29It's going to be nuts.
13:31I can't talk about it.
13:31This is so, like, not exciting
13:33when you can't tell me what it is.
13:35I know.
13:36I feel like I'm in a Marvel movie.
13:37Yeah.
13:49Our first guest is the Emmy and Golden Globe winning star,
13:53writer, and creator of the hit show Abbott Elementary.
13:56Season 5 finale airs this Wednesday at 8 p.m. on ABC
13:59and streams on Hulu.
14:01Everyone, please welcome Quinter Brunson!
14:06Quinter, Quinter, Quinter,
14:08I'm hot for you, Joe.
14:12I got it bad, I got it bad, I got it bad, I got it bad.
14:19Oh, come on now.
14:21Yes, y'all, look at that.
14:23They love you.
14:24Come on.
14:25That's really kind.
14:26Look at that.
14:26Come on, they love you.
14:28So sweet.
14:29Oh, good to see you, bud.
14:31It's good to see you, too.
14:32Thanks for coming back.
14:33Thank you for having me.
14:34You know, I find out we have more and more things in common
14:36every time you come on the show and I read up about you.
14:39Oh.
14:39I know that we're both fans of the show Survivor.
14:41I love Survivor.
14:42I love Survivor.
14:43I love it.
14:44I'm going to be on it Wednesday.
14:46I heard.
14:47That's really cool.
14:48I'm not jealous.
14:50It's, by the way, I saw it.
14:52I can't really talk about it.
14:53Yeah, you can't say anything.
14:54But something, Jeff Probst was on the show.
14:56I love Jeff Probst.
14:58Who doesn't love Jeff Probst?
14:59Big fan.
14:59I love Jeff Probst.
15:00Okay.
15:01Go ahead.
15:01All right.
15:01So, yeah.
15:02I'm always pitching my ideas and that and he ignores me.
15:04You do?
15:04Yeah.
15:04They're terrible ideas.
15:05Uh-huh.
15:06But he wants to, like, lose.
15:08He gave me his number.
15:09It's his mistake.
15:09He gave me, I wish I had his phone number.
15:11Yeah, I'll give it to you after.
15:12Okay.
15:12I'll give it, the whole audience.
15:13The whole audience gets Jeff Probst's phone number on the way out.
15:17I love you guys.
15:19So, he's on the show.
15:20I go, I got to be part of this fans thing because this is all about fans.
15:23Yeah, he is all for the fans.
15:24And so, I go, I got to be part of it.
15:25So, the producers are genius over there.
15:27They send me these ideas.
15:28I go, yep.
15:29So, I'm part of an advantage.
15:30That's cool.
15:31And then, Quinta, something goes down.
15:35Yeah.
15:36It's going to be nuts.
15:38I can't talk about it.
15:38This is so, like, not exciting when you can't tell me what.
15:41It's like, this is...
15:42I know.
15:43I feel like I'm in a Marvel movie.
15:44Yeah.
15:45I can't talk about it.
15:46But, have you watched it this season?
15:48So, no.
15:49Because I need to save it to the end.
15:50I was introduced to Survivor as a binger.
15:53And I think when you're introduced that way, it's kind of hard to watch week from week.
15:57So, the first season I saw, I think, was, like, Heroes vs. Villains.
16:01And then, I guess the audience isn't into that.
16:04No, yeah, yeah.
16:05I don't know if you guys are like, wow.
16:06That was a great one.
16:07That was a great one.
16:08And, so, I got my friend Kate.
16:10She put me on.
16:10She always told me that I would like it.
16:12And she was right.
16:13I'm obsessed.
16:14And I also just think it's the greatest reality show ever.
16:17I don't watch much reality TV.
16:18It's fantastic.
16:19I think it's fantastic.
16:20The psychology of it.
16:21Yeah.
16:21I love everybody.
16:23The casting is great.
16:25Yeah.
16:25They do such a great job.
16:26You've got to get into traitors.
16:27Would you play?
16:29Would I play Survivor?
16:30Yeah.
16:30Never.
16:31Yeah, same.
16:32I couldn't do any of the challenges.
16:33I can't stand on a thing.
16:35I'd be shaking immediately.
16:37But, as you know, there are smarter ways to play.
16:38Like, I wouldn't play because I know I wouldn't win.
16:41I would come in.
16:42I would be in the final three, but I wouldn't win.
16:44Why?
16:45I think it's good to know when you won't win something.
16:49You just know you'd make it far, but you wouldn't win.
16:51Yeah, but you know how Mike White, he can't win because they know that he's rich.
16:55And so, they're not going to give him that million dollar prize, which is good.
16:58They shouldn't give it to him.
16:59Yeah.
16:59Because he's too rich.
17:01He doesn't deserve it.
17:01Yeah.
17:02He's a great producer of television and film guy.
17:04Yeah.
17:05Yeah.
17:05He just wants to play the game.
17:06He just wants to play.
17:07Quinta, the other thing that we have in common is we both have honorary degrees from colleges
17:11that we dropped out of.
17:13Yeah.
17:16Did you?
17:17How long did you last?
17:18In college?
17:19Yeah.
17:19Oh.
17:20Technically, on paper, I lasted, you know, like two years.
17:27Yeah.
17:27I did.
17:27I was doing well, though.
17:29Well, I was doing well until I wasn't.
17:30And then I was like...
17:32Look at who you are and what you've become.
17:34Come on.
17:34You're amazing.
17:35Come on.
17:35Quinta Bronson.
17:38You do it all.
17:39It's such a great show.
17:40The show takes place in school.
17:43If you haven't seen Abbott Elementary, it takes place in a school in Philadelphia.
17:47And...
17:48Oh, Billy in the house!
17:50Billy in the house.
17:51Woo!
17:52Okay.
17:53Did you recently just launch a Quinta Bronson field trip fund in real life?
17:57I did.
17:58Talk to me about this.
17:59I love this idea.
18:00Yeah, it's really, really beautiful.
18:02So, field trips were a big part of my childhood, my education.
18:06Yeah.
18:06My niece and nephew told me that they didn't take a lot of field trips during their primary
18:11schooling years.
18:12They were affected by the COVID, the pandemic.
18:15And so, I think the last maybe four years of my niece's school weren't even in school.
18:21So, field trips were going away.
18:23Funding for them was going away.
18:24And I just thought, how could I help?
18:27And the easiest way to help was to start a fund that I immediately donated $10,000 to
18:32to kick it off and posted it.
18:37That's so cool.
18:38The fun part was, in under a month, the fund from people like you raised over $150,000.
18:46And that's a really, really...
18:49It's amazing.
18:50It's amazing.
18:51It's life-changing for a kid.
18:52Do you remember your field trip?
18:53My field trips were great.
18:55One time.
18:56And this is going to sound like a small thing.
18:58And I kind of told this story already.
18:59But we took a field trip just to Grand Central Station.
19:02And that was a big deal.
19:04Even though we lived in Philly, some kids were never going to get to go to New York.
19:08And we're only two hours away.
19:10It doesn't take much.
19:11It doesn't take much.
19:12You never forgot it, right?
19:13No.
19:13Never forgot it.
19:14I still remember going to Grand Central Station.
19:16Yeah.
19:16It was beautiful.
19:17I actually haven't been back since.
19:18So, I'm happy I had that field trip.
19:19Oh, my God.
19:19You got to go.
19:20I'm happy I had that field trip.
19:21No, you got to go.
19:22Yeah.
19:22The season finale of your show airs this week.
19:25After the past couple episodes, fans are divided.
19:28They're not really happy.
19:29No.
19:30They're not happy that Janine and Gregory broke up.
19:32Yeah.
19:32No.
19:33They don't like that, but...
19:34But you wrote this.
19:35Oh, yes.
19:37I did.
19:38So, you were kind of...
19:39I was kind of a part of it.
19:40You have a part of this.
19:41There was...
19:42Yeah, people weren't happy.
19:43It's the first time people have been very not happy with me in front of my face.
19:48Does that affect you when people react?
19:51No, I love for people to react.
19:53You know, like, we do this so people can engage with our work.
19:57But, um, no, a woman...
19:59I was leaving the airport and a woman stopped me and she was like, are you Quinta?
20:03I was like, I am.
20:04Yeah.
20:04She was like, okay, you need to get Janine and Gregory back together.
20:07And I was like, okay.
20:10She was like, mm-hmm.
20:11Have fun while you're in New York, but do what you got to do.
20:15Okay, so it's just been the first time it's right at my face.
20:19But I appreciate that.
20:20Oh, yeah.
20:20I want to show everyone a clip.
20:21Here's Quinta Brunson in the season finale of Abbott Elementary.
20:24Take a look.
20:25Just because you have a fight doesn't mean you're not supposed to be together.
20:28Gerald and I, we've had many a fight.
20:30Where to live, how to raise the children, and some of his nastier relatives.
20:37Honestly, your fight, it's lightweight.
20:40And I know it's hard.
20:41But if you love someone, you really care about them, then you owe it to each other in your relationship
20:47to work these things out together.
20:49I know, but we can't.
20:51Every time we try to talk it out, it feels like something just grabs a hold of me.
20:56And it feels like it's the most important thing in the world.
21:00Yes.
21:00Yeah, I've been there.
21:01Right.
21:01And when you tell a man that something's important and he doesn't give it to you, that's when you walk
21:05away.
21:05Wait, who taught you that?
21:08Life, Barb.
21:09Life.
21:10Yeah, that's right.
21:12Quince of Bronson, everyone.
21:13The season finale of Abbott Elementary airs this Wednesday at 8 p.m. on ABC and streams on Hulu.
21:21More Tonight Show after the break.
21:23Stick around, everybody.
21:24Sick, sick, sick, sick, trying to get a grip, wrist, lift, don't lift me up.
21:27Thanks, I was a fuck.
21:28I was a sign of a rock.
21:29I had a special guest.
21:31It was a big ask, and I thought it would be met with a no, but I'll be damned if
21:36I didn't get Kermit the Frog, too.
21:40Now, that's him on the right, not the left.
21:52Our next guest is a Tony and Emmy-winning performer who stars in the six-time Tony Award-winning Best
22:00Musical, Maybe Happy Ending, which is playing at the Belasco Theater.
22:04Please welcome Darren Criss.
22:17That's right.
22:20That's right.
22:21Come on, bud.
22:26Come on.
22:27Welcome back to the show.
22:29Thanks, man.
22:29It's always great to see you looking sharp.
22:31Thanks, man.
22:32I get to be on Fallon.
22:33This is a special thing.
22:34Nah, come on.
22:35Also, by the way, it was an honor to meet your wife, finally, backstage.
22:37Oh, the woman behind the magic.
22:39Yes, finally.
22:40She's awesome.
22:40Real deal.
22:41I was lucky enough to go see this great play, Maybe Happy Ending.
22:45There it is.
22:46And you were...
22:47Thanks, man.
22:48Thank you for coming.
22:49I know there's a lot of airlines to choose from, so we appreciate you choosing the Maybe Happy Airlines.
22:55I had the greatest time.
22:56I went with my daughter, Franny.
22:58We went to go check it out.
22:59That was so cool, man.
23:00And it was the best.
23:01And then you were so nice to us that you gave us the time and talked to us after the
23:06show.
23:07And you must be exhausted after that.
23:08No, man.
23:09It's so invigorating.
23:10I mean, I think you relate to this.
23:11I think we're both excitable guys.
23:13When we get excited about things, it is a genuine thing.
23:16And we're just about to pass 600 performances of this thing.
23:20And I...
23:20It's amazing.
23:21It's a huge milestone.
23:23And I feel the same way about it every time that I do that.
23:26That's not a canned line to sound cool.
23:29Like, I genuinely love the piece.
23:31And so when people I admire and appreciate, you know, people whose output and, you know,
23:36thing in life is inspirational to me, it's fun to get to share that with people when they come to
23:40see the show.
23:41So I really, really love doing it.
23:43I only have four more weeks left.
23:45I'm a little bummed about it.
23:47But the show will still be running.
23:48So do...
23:49Yeah, go see the show.
23:50We got four weeks to go if you want to see Garen.
23:51But by the way, you got Tony's.
23:55Congratulations on this.
23:55Thanks, man.
23:56But also, you just got honored.
23:57You got your own portrait at Sardi's.
23:59Now we're talking.
24:00Yes.
24:02Now we're talking.
24:04Yeah.
24:04That's, you know, contrary to things like the Tony's, which obviously is a massive, massive, massive honor,
24:10especially for theater kids, this is kind of a special superlative because it's not competitive, you know?
24:15It's just a celebration.
24:16You're not up against anybody, which is some, you know, it's its own subjective sort of thing.
24:20You're just being honored.
24:20Yeah, being honored by it.
24:21And it's, and theater has so, you know, it's like being in New York.
24:24There's so many, like, traditions that people have that are very specific to New York life.
24:29And Sardi's portrait, if you guys are unfamiliar, is like an old school New York thing.
24:33And, you know, the first time I ever came to New York by myself, I went because I loved the
24:37Muppets Take Manhattan.
24:38I'm a huge Muppets fan.
24:40Yeah.
24:41So there's this whole bit where, like, Kermit goes in there masquerading as, like, a producer and he's got, like,
24:46a pencil, you know, mustache.
24:47Yes.
24:48And he takes down Liza Minnelli's portrait and he puts his own and he sits underneath it and tries to,
24:53you know, kind of.
24:53Be an important producer.
24:54Yeah, be an important producer so they can get their show produced.
24:57And I always thought that was so cool.
24:58It's the first time I ever seen what Sardi's was.
24:59So by the time I'm in my early 20s, I'm like, I go on this pilgrimage to go to Sardi's
25:03and go see that portrait, which is still up at Sardi's.
25:07Well, here's the thing that I love about, they do it so well.
25:10They honor you.
25:11They unveiled the portrait.
25:12And then usually someone will come out and say something nice about you.
25:15Yeah.
25:16Yes.
25:16Thank you for that segue.
25:17I had a special guest.
25:19It was a big ask.
25:20And I thought it would be met with a no.
25:22But I'll be damned if I didn't get Kermit the Frog to.
25:27Now, that's him on the right, not the left.
25:30That's Kermit the Frog?
25:31And on the left, that's one of my great heroes, my favorite actor is Mr. Sam Rockwell, who actually made
25:37me my own portrait.
25:39So with no disrespect to the portrait they gave me, he drew his own thing.
25:42Now, is Sam operating Kermit with the other hand?
25:45Who knows?
25:46Who's to say?
25:46We don't know.
25:46Who's to say?
25:47I think actually it's the other way around.
25:49I think Kermit's probably operating Sam.
25:50Oh, Kermit's operating Sam Rockwell.
25:52Wait, two magical people.
25:54Yeah, I mean, those people mean a lot, a lot, a lot to me.
25:57And it was, you know, it's a silly thing, but my love language, as I said at the Sardis thing,
26:00my love language is silly, silly traditions.
26:02And so it really meant a lot to me to have those two incredible legends be there for me.
26:07I agree.
26:08Congratulations.
26:08I'm the dream.
26:09I'm going to go back to the Sardis.
26:10It's an amazing thing.
26:11Go to Sardis if you're in New York City and go look at all and go see Darren's portrait on
26:15the wall.
26:15I want to talk about the show just in case anyone wants to run out and you've got to get
26:19tickets to go to this.
26:20And you know what?
26:21The tour is going out this fall, too.
26:22So if you don't necessarily come to New York, if you want to go look online, we're going on tour.
26:26I won't be there, but the show will be.
26:28And I have to say, if you're unfamiliar with the show, the star of the show, and I think you
26:30can co-sign on this, is the show.
26:32It's unlike anything you've ever seen.
26:33I would encourage you to know as little as possible.
26:35It rewards that.
26:36We didn't know anything going in.
26:37Yeah, in this day and age, to actually not know anything about something and be surprised.
26:42It's a nice surprise.
26:44It packs a punch.
26:46I'm trying to keep it.
26:47Yeah, because my daughter's right next to me.
26:48I was like.
26:49Yeah, it's a beautiful.
26:50But in a good way.
26:51In a good way.
26:52Don't cry, I don't cry.
26:52It's a good cry.
26:53In a sweet, sweet love.
26:55Gosh, I loved it.
26:56And, man, you could sing.
26:57And it was just everybody so talented on that thing.
26:59And just the way it looked to the stage direction and moving.
27:03There's a lot there.
27:04Come see for yourself.
27:05I've never seen anything like it.
27:07But how do we explain who you play?
27:09I play.
27:10It's a tough.
27:11I think all my favorite stories in the world, the ones that we really love, are the most difficult to
27:15pitch.
27:16Yeah.
27:16In the absence of anything being like it.
27:18So, because it is so singular, it sounds weird.
27:20But it's about, it's in the not-too-distant future.
27:22You have two helper bots, not unlike your digital assistants on your phone.
27:26Yeah.
27:26Except they're more humanoid.
27:28They're retired helper bots that have been kind of, like, put out to pasture.
27:31Kind of waiting for their owner to come back.
27:34Or not.
27:35Or just to reach the end of their battery life.
27:37And so there's some parallels to life itself and how we go through this world and our own limited battery
27:42life.
27:42But we look at it through the lens of these helper bots.
27:47And it's a lot more fun than it sounds like they decide to break out of this institution and find
27:52some of their former owners.
27:54And I promise you, it's much more hopeful than Jimmy's face.
27:57The songs are catchy, it's funny, it's so romantic and beautiful and fun.
28:03And I play a robot, I should say.
28:05That's probably not a small detail to glaze over.
28:07But how many years have you been doing it?
28:09Is it two years almost?
28:10I've been doing it, yeah, almost, I feel like a year and a half.
28:12And we came here and we got to, I'd always want, dude, I've always wanted to do, like, a number
28:16on Fallon.
28:17I got to do it.
28:17Yeah, you were great.
28:19Forget Sardis and, like, all this.
28:20I got to come here and do a live musical theater performance on TV.
28:24I mean, that was incredible.
28:24Thank you for doing that.
28:25Come on, we love it.
28:26Wow, we were so grateful.
28:27Come on, Darren Criss right there.
28:29Come on, that's how you do it.
28:30Maybe Happy Ending is playing now on Broadway at the Velasco Theater.
28:36We'll be right back with more tonight, everybody.
28:38Come on back.
28:39Thanks, guys.
28:57Our next guest is a talented actress you know as Dr. Mel King on The Pit.
29:03Season 2.
29:05Season 2 is streaming now on HBO Max.
29:08Please welcome Taylor Dearden, everybody.
29:23Oh, that's right.
29:24There we go.
29:26Come on.
29:26That's right.
29:28Taylor.
29:30Taylor, welcome, welcome, welcome to the show.
29:34Thank you for having me.
29:35Congratulations on The Pit.
29:37Oh, my gosh.
29:38Is it a giant hit?
29:40We love it.
29:42Everyone loves your character, Dr. Mel King, one of the most beloved characters on television.
29:47I would say congratulations on that.
29:48Thank you very much.
29:49How does it feel to be part of a giant hit show?
29:52It's definitely odd.
29:54Yeah?
29:54I think because, you know, as an actor, we expect to not ever work.
29:59And if we do, it's like, oh, my God, that's great.
30:01And then we expect it to end.
30:03And so I think the whole that people are actually watching it thing is just kind of new.
30:08Yeah.
30:09It's fantastic.
30:09Good, good.
30:11Do you watch the show week to week?
30:14Would you ever watch yourself?
30:15I don't really like watching myself, but I have to because my mom wants me to tell her
30:22when to not look.
30:23Wait, your mom wants you to tell you when to not look?
30:25Yeah, so I have to sit next to her and, like, poke her to look down and then look up
30:30again
30:30while watching the show.
30:32Like the gory parts?
30:33Yeah, all the gore.
30:34And it's funny because she'll get really mad at me if I miss it, if I'm, like, a little
30:38late.
30:38I'm like, oh, sorry, don't look.
30:40And she'll get mad at me.
30:40And I'm like, I wasn't in the scene.
30:42I don't remember what happened.
30:43I wasn't there, Mom.
30:44I wasn't supposed to do that.
30:45Yeah, I can.
30:46Now you have to watch the show and then watch it again with your mom.
30:48Yeah, of course.
30:48There's one scene in particular from last week's finale that, as everyone was talking
30:53about, this is you doing karaoke.
30:56That was fantastic.
30:59Dr. King, Dr. Trinity Santos, you were singing Alanis Morissette's You Ought to Know, and
31:04you crushed it.
31:06When you first read this scene in the script, what's your reaction?
31:09Well, it actually wasn't in the script.
31:12And so at the last episode, we're all, like, doing our charts and scanning and shredding
31:19stuff.
31:19And Issa was sitting across from me, and she goes, what are you going to wear for the karaoke
31:23thing?
31:24And I was like, I don't know what you're talking about.
31:29This is a medical drama.
31:32I don't know if you know that.
31:33Yeah.
31:34And she was like, there's a thing coming up, and it wasn't in the script, and I got the
31:38script, and I read it.
31:38I'm like, what is happening?
31:40And then I asked Scott, who created our show, Scott Gemmel, and he's like, oh, yeah, we might
31:45do something.
31:47And that's, like, all I got.
31:48We might do something.
31:49Do you do karaoke in real life?
31:51No, I'm afraid to sing.
31:53You're afraid to sing?
31:54I'm afraid to sing, yes.
31:55Really?
31:56So if you went to a karaoke, well, you wouldn't go to a karaoke.
31:58I wouldn't, but I feel like there's something that is different when it's, like, a character.
32:03Yeah.
32:03Because then it's not really me.
32:05I don't know why, but I've been told I was a terrible singer for a lot of my life.
32:10Wow.
32:12Wow.
32:12It's good to get it out.
32:13I just think it's funny.
32:14No.
32:15Well, dude, you did pretty great in this thing in Alanis Morissette.
32:18I will tell you that.
32:19You gotta feel the angst.
32:21In fact, Alanis Morissette herself posted, patient Dr. Sento's Dr. King, you got the thumbs
32:29up.
32:30You got the thumbs up for the one and only.
32:33Alanis Morissette, come on.
32:35That's gotta feel good.
32:36It's everything.
32:37That's gotta feel good.
32:38It's amazing.
32:38Yeah, I just got a text from Issa that said, we did it, and then it was that screenshot,
32:42and I was like, yes.
32:44Yeah.
32:45You do such a great job on the show.
32:47I always love it when anyone's on a medical show.
32:49I have them on the show, and I go, do you know any terms?
32:52Have you, do people treat you like a doctor?
32:55I...
32:55Do people ask you questions and, hey, will you look at this?
32:57Yes, which is always, like, you don't want anyone to just say, I have a growth.
33:02Yeah, yeah, yeah.
33:02And they just kind of show you, and you're like, oh, God, I'm an actor.
33:05Yeah.
33:06Um...
33:06So you don't know, you don't give out?
33:08No, but also my family has started texting me.
33:13Um...
33:13They should know that I don't know, but it's, for some reason, too, every time they text,
33:18it's like, okay, I do know that one.
33:20All right, but stop texting me, because, like, that's the rest of it.
33:23Yeah, yeah, yeah.
33:24The rest of it, I definitely don't know.
33:25I'm an actor.
33:26Yeah, yeah.
33:26I want to show everyone a clip.
33:28Here's Taylor Dearden in The Pit.
33:30Take a look at this.
33:31I thought you were going to see the fireworks.
33:33Nope.
33:33We decided to watch Elf instead.
33:36Ah, of course you did.
33:39Okay, I'll call you tomorrow.
33:40Wait, are you spending the night?
33:42Um, uh, yes, he, his parents invited me.
33:47They, they need to ask me that.
33:48Are, are you staying here, too?
33:50No, they, they needed to ask if it's okay if you stayed.
33:55Why?
33:57Be, because, uh, it's polite, it's the right, it's the right thing to do.
34:03Um, I need to talk to them.
34:06Um, they're not here, they're at a barbecue.
34:09Okay, um, can you have them call me as soon as they get home?
34:12Yes.
34:13Can you promise?
34:14I promise.
34:15Uh, okay, bye now.
34:16Bye, have fun.
34:18Come on.
34:21Taylor Dearden, everybody!
34:23Taylor Dearden!
34:25The Pit is streaming now on HBO Max.
34:28We'll be right back with a performance from Thundercats!
34:31Come on back!
34:32We'll be right back!
34:32Ticket rhymes like a full-time child around 9, 9, 5, 8 to burn, ill-a-jala, bro, yo!
34:38Tyler Jones, I'm on my time!
34:41With the pain that I earned, plus I'm more concerned, by what my kids learn, in the background,
34:46and I'm in the way, not burn, I tell them!
34:50Performing Walking on the Moon from his new album, Distracted.
34:55Give it up for Thundercats!
34:57Thank you so much!
35:43Thank you so much!
35:57Our lives like common peace, and by walking on the Moon.
36:10Up to the Sun, we're lost in orbit.
36:16We'll travel far as love can take us.
36:22The world of time in the world, walking on the moon
36:34No gravity that is expanding
36:39We're one and I, time disappearing
36:45We're one and I, time in the world, walking on the moon
36:58My father, Lord, you're my daughter
37:03I'm your stars, your king
37:06Even the horizon, when you're standing, you're still
37:14Walking on the moon
37:28Love is like a childish face
37:32I'm just gonna see your face
37:45You disappear without a trace
37:57I'm just gonna see your face
38:01I'm just gonna see your face
38:03I'm just gonna see your face
38:25Love is like a childish face
38:27I'm just gonna see your face
38:41You disappear without a trace
38:52I'm just gonna see your face
38:56I'm just gonna see your face
38:59Surrounded by your embrace
39:01I'm just gonna see your face
39:03I'm just gonna see your face
39:04I'm just gonna see your face
39:31Come on, we'll be right back, everybody
39:33Come on, that's how you do it
39:58And the roof right there from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
40:04Happy birthday, Kamal
40:05Thank you for watching
40:07Stay tuned for Late Night with Seth Meyers
40:09Good night, everybody
40:10Get a ball
40:12Get a ball
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40:21Uh-huh
40:24Get a ball
40:26You
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40:29Get a ball
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