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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,
00:34Jimmy Fallon!
00:38Hey, hey, hey, hey!
00:42Hey, hey, hey, hey!
00:46Hey, hey, hey, hey!
00:48Hey, hey, hey, hey!
00:49Hey, what's up, y'all?
00:53Thank you, I love you, hey!
00:56Hey, what's up?
00:57Love y'all.
01:01Come on! Come on!
01:04Ah, I love you. Thank you so much.
01:06Enjoy yourself, everybody.
01:08Welcome, welcome, welcome to The Tonight Show!
01:11You're here, you're meeting.
01:14You guys seem like you're in a good mood.
01:16I think I know why. Today is 420.
01:18Uh, you got to check.
01:20I feel you're happy.
01:22Yeah, all day long, the air in New York City
01:24smelled exactly like it does every other day of the year.
01:29Yeah, 420 is a huge day for Venmo transactions
01:32that 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
01:40President Trump and Pope Leo.
01:42Following their feud, Pope Leo said that debating Trump
01:45is 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
01:51coming from the Vatican.
01:53Happy 420.
01:55And get this after Trump spent the last week
01:57fighting with the pope.
01:58He's about to take part in a public reading of the Bible
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
02:09will finish it.
02:10All right, let's try that. Here we go.
02:12In 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,
02:27I will fear...
02:29The Epstein Files.
02:37For God so loved the world that he gave us his one and only...
02:43Magnificent, 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.
03:01Or do they know what to do?
03:03That's even scarier if they do know what to do and they're not doing it.
03:09God said, let there be light, and there was...
03:13No, get those lights off! Off!
03:19Last one.
03:21In the name of the Father and the Son and the...
03:24Easter, buddy.
03:25All right.
03:26Keep practicing. Keep 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 Waterwave.
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 straight
04:03since Mike Pence.
04:05Aye-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.
04:23Mr. President, who do you want to send
04:25to Pakistan to 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.
04:35Kash 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.
04:43JK Rowling?
04:44No.
04:44P.F. Chang?
04:45No.
04:45L.L. Cool J?
04:47No.
04:47O.J. Simpson?
04:48No, it's J.D. Vance.
04:49Right.
04:49Can I golf now?
04:50Sure.
05:01Well, get this, Trump announced plans
05:03to build a sculpture garden with 250 statues
05:06for America's 250th anniversary this summer.
05:09But sources say it's unlikely even one statue
05:11will 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 today?
05:24FBI Director Cash Patel filed a $250 million lawsuit
05:28against The Atlantic over a report
05:30on 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...
05:58Uh, what was it?
05:59DJ 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.
06:18Yeah.
06:18Loved it.
06:19They're the best time.
06:20Pretzel sticks.
06:22How 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...
06:46I had one years ago at Bubba Gump.
06:48At Bubba Gump, yeah.
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?
07:07Shrimp, I can't go into it.
07:10We 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.
07:38I 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, yeah.
07:47Yeah, guys, 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.
08:05I know.
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-ch.
08:40Then there's a big build followed by silence
08:44where you say something provocative like
08:48Love is a scorpion.
08:51Boo-ch.
08:55Thanks for that.
08:58Guys, 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.
09:26Bling!
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.
09:37All right, yeah, next one.
09:39Hold on.
09:39I'm sorry.
09:41I'm sorry.
09:41Hold on a second.
09:42I'm just...
09:43I'm sorry.
09:44Wait.
09:44What?
09:45What 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, Jimmy, can we do one more, please?
10:01Please, this one is different.
10:03We 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.
10:23And then you do a chant like,
10:24Oh, oh, oh, oh.
10:26Oh, oh, oh.
10:27And everyone feels good about the outfit.
10:29Come up the show and the credits start to roll.
10:32This is great, guys.
10:34And one last time you say,
10:35Love is a scorpion.
10:36Ah, I knew it was fun.
10:38Get out of here.
10:39Jeff and Steph, everybody.
10:40Why would we have a...
10:43Yeah.
10:48Well, some business news.
10:49Gatorade announced that they're planning
10:51to remove artificial colors
10:52and reduce sugar in their drinks.
10:54Oh.
10:55Yeah, it's part of the revolutionary
10:56new beverage line called Water.
11:02And finally, before we move on,
11:03I'd like to take a moment to thank
11:04some 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.
11:29Fair warning, it's super obvious
11:31when you're on us.
11:37Olive Garden.
11:38When you're here, you're divorced
11:39and it's your weekend with the kids.
11:46Instacart.
11:47When you need the wrong things
11:48and the wrong sizes
11:49at the wrong temperatures.
11:55Milk Bone.
11:56Come on, take a bite.
11:57You know you want it.
11:59That's fine.
12:04McDonald's.
12:04Sometimes you just need to
12:05eat some McDonald's.
12:11Oh!
12:13Wow!
12:14Oh my gosh.
12:17Door Dash.
12:18Even though you only open your door a crack,
12:20we saw everything.
12:27Robitussin.
12:28Teaching kids how to take shots
12:30since 1979.
12:36Dole.
12:37Somewhere right now,
12:38we're having an all-staff meeting
12:39about bananas.
12:44Do it yourself, bitch.
12:51And finally, Funyuns.
12:53Happy 420.
12:56That's all for Tonight Show's Sponsor.
12:58We have a great show tonight.
12:59Quinta Brunson is here.
13:02Darren 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
13:16with Quinta Brunson, everybody.
13:17Come on back.
13:20Yes, yes, you're on to the beat on.
13:22Party happen, people guarantee
13:24they be like having a ball.
13:25Quinta, 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.
13:48Our first guest
13:50is the Emmy and Golden Globe
13:52winning star, writer, and creator
13:54of the hit show, Abbott Elementary.
13:56Season 5 finale airs this Wednesday
13:58at 8 p.m. on ABC
13:59and streams on Hulu.
14:01Everyone, please welcome
14:02Quinta Brunson!
14:12I got it back, I got it back, I got it back.
14:19Oh, come on now.
14:21Yes, girl, look at that.
14:23They love you.
14:24Come on.
14:25That's really kind.
14:26Look at that.
14:26Come on.
14:27They love you.
14:28So sweet.
14:29Oh, you're 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
14:35we have more and more things in common
14:36every time you come on the show
14:37and I read up about you.
14:39Oh.
14:39I know that we're both fans
14:40of 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.
14:49It's...
14:50By the way, I saw it.
14:52I can't really talk about it.
14:53Yeah, you can't say anything.
14:54But something...
14:55Jeff 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, go ahead.
15:01All right, so, yeah.
15:01I always pitch him ideas
15:03and that and he ignores me.
15:04You do?
15:04Yeah, they're terrible ideas.
15:05Uh-huh.
15:06But he wants to, like, lose.
15:08He gave me his number.
15:09It's his mistake.
15:10I wish I had his phone number.
15:11Yeah, I'll give it to you after.
15:12Okay.
15:12I'll give it to the whole audience.
15:13The whole audience gets
15:14Jeff Probst's phone number
15:15on the way out.
15:17I love you guys.
15:19So, on the show, I go,
15:20I got to be part of this fans thing
15:21because this is all about fans this season.
15:23Yeah, he has 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
15:40when you can't tell me what it 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,
15:55it's kind of hard to watch week from week.
15:57So, the first season I saw, I think,
15:59was, 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, um, 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.
16:16So, I 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.
16:39Like, 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.
17:04Yeah.
17:05Yeah.
17:05He just wants to play the game.
17:06He just wants to play.
17:07Quintus, 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?
17:16So, yeah.
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 went back.
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 you.
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, and this is going to sound like a small thing, and I kind of told this story
18:59already, but 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, so I'm happy I had that field trip.
19:19Oh my God, you gotta go.
19:20I'm happy I had that field trip.
19:21No, you gotta 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, no.
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...
19:52I love for people to react.
19:53You know, like, we do this so people can engage with our work, but, 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, yeah.
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, have fun on you in New York, but do what you gotta do.
20:15Okay, so it's just been the first time it's right at my face, but 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.
20:31Where to live, how to raise the children, and, ugh, some of his nastier relatives.
20:36Mm-mm.
20:37Honestly, your fight, it's lightweight, and I know it's hard, but if you love someone,
20:43you really care about them, then you owe it to each other and your relationship to work
20:47these 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, and when you tell a man that something's important and he doesn't give it to you,
21:04that's when you walk away.
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
21:20on Hulu.
21:21More Tonight Show after the break.
21:23Stick around, everybody!
21:29I had a special guest.
21:31It was a big ask, and I thought it would be met with a no.
21:35But I'll be damned if I didn't get Kermit the Frog, too.
21:40Now, that's him on the right, not the left.
21:45Everybody no mad, don't like Bo Jackson.
21:48Everybody no mad, Flo, go go back.
21:52Our next guest is a Tony and Emmy-winning performer
21:57who stars in the six-time Tony Award-winning Best Musical,
22:00Maybe Happy Ending, which is playing at the Belasco Theater.
22:04Please welcome Darren Criss!
22:18That's right!
22:20That's right!
22:21Come on, bud!
22:26Come on, welcome 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.
22:35Also, by the way, it was an honor to meet your wife,
22:36finally, 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,
22:44Maybe 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,
22:52so 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
23:05and talked to us after the show,
23:07and you must be exhausted after that.
23:09No, 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,
23:22and 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,
23:33you know, people whose output and, you know,
23:36thing in life is inspirational to me,
23:38it's fun to get to share that with people
23:40when they come to see 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, so do...
23:49Yeah, go see the show.
23:50We got four weeks to go if you want to see Garen.
23:52But by the way, you got Tony's congratulations on this,
23:55but also, you just got honored.
23:57You got your own portrait at Sardi's.
23:59Sardi's, yes, yes.
24:02Now we're talking.
24:03Yeah, that's, uh...
24:05You know, contrary to things like the Tony's,
24:07which obviously is a massive, massive, massive honor,
24:10especially for theater kids,
24:12this is kind of a special superlative
24:13because it's not competitive, you know?
24:15It's just a celebration.
24:16You're not up against anybody,
24:18which is some, you know, it's its own subjective...
24:20You're just being honored.
24:20Yeah, being honored by it, and it's...
24:22And theater has so...
24:23You know, it's like being in New York,
24:24there's so many, like, traditions that people have
24:26that are very specific to New York life,
24:28and Sardi's portrait, if you guys are unfamiliar,
24:31is like an old-school New York thing,
24:33and, you know, the first time I came to New York by myself,
24:35I went because I love the Muppets Take Manhattan.
24:38I'm a huge Muppets fan.
24:40Yeah!
24:41So there's this whole bit where, like,
24:42Kermit goes in there masquerading as, like, a producer,
24:45and he's got, like, a pencil, you know, mustache,
24:48and he takes down Liza Minnelli's portrait,
24:50and he puts his own, and he sits underneath it
24:52and tries to, you know, kind of...
24:53Be an important producer.
24:54Yeah, be an important producer
24:55so they can get their show produced.
24:57And I always thought that was so cool.
24:58It's the first time I've ever seen what Sardi's was.
24:59So by the time I'm in my early 20s, I'm like,
25:00I go on this pilgrimage to go to Sardi's
25:03and go see that portrait, which is still up at Sardi's.
25:06Yeah, well, here's the thing that I love about...
25:09They do it so well.
25:10They honor you, they unveil the portrait,
25:12and then usually someone will come out
25:14and say something nice about it.
25:15Yeah, yes.
25:16And thank you for that segue.
25:17I had a special guest.
25:19It was a big ask, and 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,
25:34my favorite actor is Mr. Sam Rockwell,
25:36who actually made me my own portrait.
25:39So with no disrespect to the portrait they gave me,
25:41he drew his own thing, that...
25:42Now, is Sam operating Kermit with the other hand?
25:45Who knows? Who's to say?
25:46We don't know. Who's to say?
25:47I think, actually, it's the other way around.
25:49I think Kermit's probably operating Sam Rockwell.
25:50Oh, Kermit's... He'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,
25:58but my love language, as I said at the Sardi's thing,
26:00my love language is silly, silly traditions,
26:02and so it really meant a lot to me
26:04to have those two incredible legends be there for me,
26:07and I don't know.
26:07I agree. Congratulations.
26:08I'm the dream. Thanks.
26:09I got to go back to the Sardi's. It's an amazing thing.
26:11Go to Sardi's if you're in New York City
26:12and go look at all and go see Darren's portrait on the wall.
26:15I want to talk about the show
26:17just in case anyone wants to run out,
26:19and you got to get tickets 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,
26:24if 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,
26:29the star of the show, and I think you can co-sign on this,
26:31is 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,
26:38to actually not know anything about something
26:40and be surprised.
26:42It's a nice punch.
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, don't cry, 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.
27:00Just the way it looked to the stage direction,
27:02the 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?
27:10I play...
27:10It's a tough...
27:11I think all my favorite stories in the world,
27:13the ones that we really love,
27:14are the most difficult to pitch
27:16in the absence of anything being like it.
27:18So because it is so singular,
27:19it sounds weird.
27:20But it's about...
27:21It's in the not-too-distant future.
27:22You have two helper bots,
27:24not unlike your digital assistants on your phone,
27:26except they're more humanoid.
27:28They're retired helper bots
27:29that have been kind of like put out to pasture.
27:32Kind of waiting for their owner to come back.
27:33Or just to reach the end of their battery life.
27:37And so there's some parallels to life itself
27:39and how we go through this world
27:41and our own limited battery life.
27:42But we look at it through the lens of these helper bots.
27:46And it's a lot more fun than it sounds like...
27:49Dude.
27:49...they decide to break out of this institution
27:51and find some of their former owners.
27:54And I promise you,
27:54it's much more hopeful than Jimmy's...
27:56No!
27:56...Jimmy's face is...
27:57The songs are catchy, it's funny,
27:59it'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...
28:11I feel like a year and a half.
28:12And we came here and we got to...
28:13I'd always want...
28:14Dude, I've always wanted to do, like,
28:15a number on Fallon.
28:17I got to do it.
28:17Yeah, you were great.
28:18Forget Sardis and, like, all this.
28:20I got to come here
28:21and 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
28:33on Broadway at the Velasco Theater.
28:36We'll be right back with more tonight,
28:38everybody.
28:38Come on back.
28:39Thanks, guys.
28:40Hey, up steps,
28:42the one that know me in the flesh,
28:43and I can lead Sierra Leone,
28:45get fresh to death.
28:46Big old me and them reps,
28:47the best, y'all know me from...
28:57Our next guest is a talented actress
29:00you know as Dr. Mel King on The Pit.
29:04Season 2 is streaming now on HBO Max.
29:08Please welcome Taylor Dearden, everybody.
29:11Can you see a music, baby?
29:20Oh, that's right.
29:21Oh, 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,
29:45one 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,
29:56we 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
30:04that people are actually watching it thing
30:06is just kind of new.
30:08Yeah.
30:08It's fantastic.
30:09It's a good girl.
30:11Do you watch the show week to week?
30:14Would you ever watch yourself?
30:15I don't really like watching myself,
30:18but I have to because my mom wants me
30:21to tell her when 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
30:27and, like, poke her to look down
30:29and then look up again while 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
30:36if I miss it, if I'm, like, a little late.
30:38I'm like, oh, sorry, don't look.
30:39And 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.
30:44How am I supposed to do that?
30:45Yeah, I can.
30:46Now you have to watch the show
30:46and then watch it again with your mom.
30:47Yeah.
30:48Yeah, of course.
30:49There's one scene in particular
30:50from last week's finale
30:51that, as everyone was talking about,
30:54this is you doing karaoke.
30:55Oh, that was fantastic.
30:59Dr. King, Dr. Trinity Santos,
31:01you were singing Alanis Morissette's
31:03You Ought to Know and you crushed it.
31:06When you first read this scene in the script,
31:08what's your reaction?
31:10Well, it actually wasn't in the script.
31:12And so, at the last episode,
31:15we were all, like, doing our charts
31:17and scanning and shredding stuff.
31:19And Issa was sitting across from me
31:21and she goes,
31:22What are you going to wear for the karaoke thing?
31:24And I was like,
31:26I 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,
31:35There's a thing coming up
31:36and it wasn't in the script
31:37and I got the script and I read it.
31:38I'm like,
31:39What is happening?
31:40And then I asked Scott,
31:42who created our show,
31:43Scott Gemmel,
31:44and he's like,
31:45Oh, yeah, we might do 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,
31:57well, you wouldn't go to a karaoke.
31:58I wouldn't,
31:59but I feel like there's something
32:00that is different
32:01when it's, like, a character
32:03because then it's not really me.
32:05I don't know why,
32:06but I've been told
32:07I was a terrible singer
32:08for 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.
32:15Dude, you did pretty great
32:16in this singing Alanis Morissette.
32:18I will tell you that.
32:19You gotta feel the angst.
32:21In fact,
32:23Alanis Morissette herself
32:25posted
32:26patient Dr. Sento's Dr. King.
32:27You got the thumbs up.
32:30You got the thumbs up
32:31for the one and only
32:33Alanis Morissette.
32:34Come 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
32:39from Issa that said,
32:40we did it,
32:41and then it was that screenshot,
32:42and I was like, yes.
32:44Yeah.
32:45You do such a great job
32:46on the show.
32:47I always love it
32:48when anyone's on a medical show.
32:49I have them on the show,
32:50and I go,
32:50do you know any terms?
32:52Have you,
32:52do people treat you
32:53like a doctor?
32:55I...
32:55Do people ask you questions,
32:56and, hey,
32:56will you look at this?
32:57Yes,
32:58which is always, like,
32:59you don't want anyone
32:59to just say,
33:00I have a growth,
33:02and just kind of show you,
33:03and you're like,
33:04oh, God, I'm an actor.
33:05Yeah.
33:06Um...
33:07So you don't know,
33:07you don't give out?
33:08No, but also,
33:09my family has started
33:10texting me.
33:12Um...
33:13They should know
33:14that I don't know,
33:15but it's,
33:16for some reason, too,
33:17every time they text,
33:18it's like,
33:19okay, I do know that one.
33:20All right,
33:21but stop texting me,
33:22because, like,
33:22that's the rest of it.
33:23Yeah, yeah, yeah.
33:24The rest of it,
33:24I definitely don't know.
33:25I'm an actor,
33:26yeah, yeah.
33:26I want to show everyone
33:27a clip.
33:28Here's Taylor Dearden
33:29in The Pit.
33:30Take a look at this.
33:31I thought you were
33:32going to see the fireworks.
33:33Nope.
33:34We decided to watch
33:34Elf instead.
33:36Ah, of course you did.
33:38Okay, I'll call you tomorrow.
33:40Wait, uh, are you,
33:41are you spending the night?
33:43Um, uh, yes.
33:44He, 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
33:53if it's okay if you stayed.
33:55Why?
33:57Be, because, uh,
34:00it's polite.
34:01It's the right,
34:02it's the right thing to do.
34:03Um, I need to talk to them.
34:06Um, they're not here.
34:07They're at a barbecue.
34:09Okay, um,
34:10can you have them call me
34:11as soon as they get home?
34:12Yes.
34:13Can you promise?
34:14I promise.
34:15Okay, bye now.
34:16Bye, have fun.
34:18Come on.
34:21Taylor Dearden, everybody!
34:23Taylor Dearden!
34:25The Pit is streaming now
34:27on HBO Max.
34:28We'll be right back
34:29with a performance
34:29from Thundercats!
34:31Come on back!
34:32Kick it rhymes
34:33like a full-time
34:34trial around
34:359-9-5-8 to burn
34:36ill-a-jala pro-yo
34:37Tyler joins up on my time
34:41With the pain that I earned
34:42Plus I'm more concerned
34:44About what my kids learn
34:45In the background
34:46And I'm in the way
34:47I burn
34:47I tell them
34:50Performing
34:51Walking on the Moon
34:52from his new album
34:54Distracted.
34:55Give it up
34:55for Thundercats!
34:57Woo!
34:58Woo!
34:59Woo!
34:59Woo!
35:00Woo!
35:00Woo!
35:22You're warm and nice
35:25I'm underwater
35:27So empty I
35:30No one around us
35:34But no one is gone
35:37Before
35:38Walking on the Moon
35:46So sparkly
35:48Stardust in your eyes
35:52In your tractor beam
35:55To be by surprise
35:57To be by surprise
35:58I come at peace
36:00And by walking on the Moon
36:10Up to the sun
36:12We're lost in orbit
36:16We'll travel far
36:47As life can take us
36:49Get the world
36:50Walking over
36:58My father
37:00You're my daughter
37:03I'm your starship king
37:06Even horizon
37:09But you're still
37:14Walking over
37:28Love is like a childish face
37:39I'm just gonna see your face
37:45You disappear without a trace
38:16I'm just gonna see your face
38:17I'm just gonna see your face
38:18I'm just gonna see your face
38:35I'm just gonna see your face
38:41You disappear without a trace
38:53I'm just gonna see your face
38:59I'm just gonna see your face
39:00Surrounded by your embrace
39:24I'm just gonna see your face
39:31I'm just gonna see your face
39:32I'm just gonna see your face
39:41I'm just gonna see your face
39:48My face to Quinta Brunson
39:51Derrick, Chris, Keller, Dearden
39:53Thundercat once again
39:57And the roof right there
39:59From Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
40:04Happy birthday, Kamal
40:05Thank you for watching
40:07Stay tuned for Late Night with Seth Meyers
40:09Good night, everybody
40:11Thanks for joining us
40:12Thank you,ester, how do you guys
40:14Get it to it?
40:24Good night, everybody
40:27Happy birthday, baby
40:30I'm working with you
40:32Work, work, work, work, work, work, work
40:38Yeah, baby
40:40Oh, now, now, now
40:45Let's get back
40:46Work, work, work, work, work, work, work
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