The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett
Jimmy Fallon: I Wasn’t Prepared For The Hate… It Was Brutal. I Was Starving, Living on $7.25!
Mon, 02 Jun 2025
What if the price of every laugh was your own happiness? Jimmy Fallon reveals the shocking toll of his comedy empire. Jimmy Fallon is host of ‘The Tonight Show’, Emmy-winning comedian and television personality, and former host of ‘Saturday Night Live’ (SNL). He is also the author of children’s and comedy books such as, 'Papa Doesn't Do Anything!’ and is set to launch a new innovative marketing show called ‘On Brand with Jimmy Fallon’ this Fall. Jimmy discusses: How he didn’t expect the entertainment industry to be so brutal. Why his sense of humour became his secret weapon. How he navigated receiving hate after achieving massive success in comedy. How his strict Catholic upbringing shaped his relentless need to please others. How his mother’s support gave him the confidence to chase his dreams. 00:00 Intro 02:24 What Made Jimmy the Way He Is Nowadays 03:37 The Earliest Memory of Jimmy Wanting to Please Others 04:52 Jimmy's Parents 07:33 Jimmy's Mother 13:02 Who Was Jimmy Trying to Impress More: His Mother or His Father? 14:28 Jimmy's Relationship With Money 17:05 Jimmy's Anecdote With Jerry Seinfeld 21:11 Was Jimmy a Confident Young Man? 22:11 Principles for Achieving Your Childhood Dream 25:51 How Did Jimmy's Parents React to His Career Plans? 28:10 Did Jimmy Ever Doubt Himself While Trying to Break Into Show Business? 33:51 Where Does Jimmy's Passion for SNL Come From? 37:58 Jimmy's Mental Health During the Auditioning Phase 40:41 What Would Jimmy Say to His Younger Self? 45:09 What Life Would Have Been Like If Jimmy Hadn’t Got on SNL 47:32 Jimmy's First SNL Audition 52:00 Getting on SNL Before Turning 25 – A Non-Negotiable Goal 53:32 Ads 57:36 Finally Getting SNL 01:02:01 Was There an Anticlimax When Jimmy Got on SNL? 01:02:50 Struggles With Public Criticism 01:05:55 How Did Jimmy Cope With Fame? 01:09:48 How Meeting Influential People Changed Jimmy’s Perspective 01:12:20 How to Never Get Bored of Hosting a Show 01:14:12 How Does Jimmy Keep Himself Challenged? 01:14:52 Dada and "Mama" Books 01:16:23 How Jimmy's Mother's Death Changed Him 01:19:01 What Jimmy Misses About His Mother 01:20:39 Jimmy's Grief After His Mother's Death 01:21:35 Would Jimmy Have Followed His Passion Without His Mother? 01:22:33 When Did Jimmy Start Being Concerned With Longevity? 01:26:50 Is There Another Chapter Beyond TV for Jimmy? 01:29:04 How Is Jimmy Misunderstood? 01:29:31 Jimmy's Pursuits Outside of TV 01:32:31 What Would Jimmy's Gravestone Say? 01:34:02 How Becoming a Father Shifted Jimmy’s Meaning of Life 01:34:44 Life Advice Jimmy Would Give to His Daughters 01:36:39 Question From the Previous Guest Follow Jimmy: Instagram - https://bit.ly/3HiDAs1 X - https://bit.ly/3Su5zrd TikTok - https://bit.ly/3Hk24Bu You can purchase Jimmy’s book, Papa Doesn't Do Anything!, here: https://amzn.to/3HgeQkc The 1% Diary is back - limited time only: https://bit.ly/3YFbJbt The Diary Of A CEO Conversation Cards (Second Edition): https://g2ul0.app.link/f31dsUttKKb Get email updates: https://bit.ly/diary-of-a-ceo-yt Follow Steven: https://g2ul0.app.link/gnGqL4IsKKb Sponsors: Shopify - https://shopify.com/bartlett Perfect Ted - https://www.perfectted.com with code DIARY40 for 40% off Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Chapter 1: What made Jimmy Fallon the way he is today?
Is that crazy? Because I ended up doing that. Well, it does feel like you pulled that into existence somehow.
Well, I was beyond obsessed. I wanted to be on Saturday Night Live. So I worked at the improv where I think the paycheck was $7.25. You didn't really eat much. I would turn cardboard boxes on the street into tables. It's tough. It's a lot of rejection. But the stage time was priceless.
And eventually you get a phone call.
I got an audition for Saturday Night Live. This was my big opportunity. I remember going on stage, did my first impression, and I blew it. That was probably my lowest moment. It was very depressing.
Chapter 2: How did Jimmy's upbringing influence his need to please others?
You'd said that if you didn't make it on SNL before the age of 25... I was gonna kill myself.
Did you mean that?
Yeah.
But I just knew that I would be on Sarah Lynn. It was going to happen. And against all odds, I did it.
23.
So crazy. Jimmy, I found some photos. Can you tell me about this one? Oh my God.
Uh, wow.
Quick one before we get back to this episode. Just give me 30 seconds of your time. Two things I wanted to say. The first thing is a huge thank you for listening and tuning into the show week after week. It means the world to all of us. And this really is a dream that we absolutely never had and couldn't have imagined getting to this place.
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Chapter 3: What were Jimmy's early experiences with money?
But secondly, it's a dream where we feel like we're only just getting started. And if you enjoy what we do here, please join the 24% of people that listen to this podcast regularly and follow us on this app. Here's a promise I'm going to make to you. I'm going to do everything in my power to make this show as good as I can now and into the future.
We're going to deliver the guests that you want me to speak to and we're going to continue to keep doing all of the things you love about this show. Thank you. Thank you so much. Back to the episode. What do I need to know about you to understand the man that you are? And when I ask that question, I'm specifically trying to understand your earliest context.
Because you're, in many respects, an anomaly. But you're an anomaly that was very, very clear on where you wanted to go in your life from a shockingly young age. So I'm wondering what gave you such clarity and what the context was that made you the unique way that you are.
Gosh, that's a great question. That's going to be the whole show right here. Because I want to find out. You know, maybe entertaining or being funny is probably. Or you want to just satisfy people. I think, you know, in wanting to please people, I've always wanted to please people since I was a kid.
Like, I don't know if it was my parents or my grandparents or I wanted to make people feel good and give everyone. If I'm at a party, I want to make sure it's the best party, you know, and I'm giving everything. I want to make sure it's so... pleasing or appeasing, one of those words. But I think I've always wanted to do that. And that's kind of what I do now.
Do you have like an earliest memory of that behavior?
Really?
Yeah, which I thought, I think I'd be a pretty good priest. I think it would be funny and, you know, I could have good delivery, you know. Someone said to me once, they said, maybe you got your first taste of
wanted to be an entertainer from being an altar boy because you're up on stage kind of technically and there's an audience and you're up kind of performing I mean walking around and you're wearing an outfit kind of you know wearing costume and you know so it's kind of theater in a weird way but I remember just
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Chapter 4: How did Jimmy feel about his first audition for SNL?
Chapter 5: What challenges did Jimmy face while trying to break into show business?
Funny, life at the party, hardworking, very Brooklyn, very New York. He sang in a doo-wop group on the street corner. So he would go, not professionally, but just that was one of the things he did in high school. And then he also fought in gangs.
like um not just beat each other up gangs like i don't think anyone killed each other but this was back in the 50s where they just would one street corner would fight another street corner and they get together and just have a fist fight or something tough guy he's a tough guy yeah emotional no not emotional uh i've never seen my dad cry or any of that stuff affectionate Yeah.
I mean, I got I love you's and hugs and stuff like that. Yeah. I mean, not overly, not the way I think I am. I'm hugging my kids every single day and telling them how proud I am of them and saying I love you. And they say I love you back. And, you know, I'm overly, you know, where I didn't have that. You know, I think it was just my mom was more than that.
And I think that was kind of put on my mom as you're the emotional, you know, you hug the kids and love them. And he was just more like, yep, I love you. You know, that's great. He was rooting for me always, you know, but, you know, a little harsh, but not, not crazy harsh. Like we, you know, yeah, nothing, nothing that crazy.
Gloria, your mother.
Yeah. Gloria is my mom, yeah. Sadly passed away. I miss my mom. My mom's name is Gloria. My sister's name is Gloria. My dad's name is Jim, and I'm named Jim. A very unoriginal parent. Couldn't come up with any other name. Those are the perfect names for you. But yeah, my mom was my, she rooted for me. That was my number one fan. I was the golden child in her head.
Whatever I did, she was like, that's my kid.
That's my, oh my God. You're fantastic. You got to go. You're great, you know.
And she would always root me out. Whatever it is I did, she would laugh, you know. And I miss her not being around, you know, because I would talk to her every day, you know, sometimes multiple times a day and, you know, talk about Saturday Night Live. And she'd watch the show and she'd sketch me. She thought it was funny.
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Chapter 6: How did Jimmy cope with public criticism?
i guess getting a paycheck but you know and paying for things but i don't know what things i was paying for i was 13 years old but i mean i liked the idea of going into work and working nine to five day and you know doing overtime and i i looked forward to working wherever it was and like maybe it was because i was trying to be my dad because he would go to work in the mornings and then i would see him at night you know when he came home but
I remember just not caring about money, and my mom, I would always put our laundry in the laundry basket or whatever, and my mom would do the laundry. She'd be like, Jimmy, I found $5 in your jeans. And I go, okay, yeah, yeah. She goes, thanks. She goes, next time I'm going to keep it. And I go, do it. I could care less. What am I going to do?
She's like, you know, and my dad's like, you got to start caring about money. I go, I don't. I don't think I ever will. I just don't. It never was a thing for me. I never cared about, oh, I got the most. Or I got paid, blah, blah, blah. I just loved the experience of it all. The experience of... Any work. Any work. It led to comedy as well as when I did comedy shows.
When you worked at the Improv in LA, it was a great comedy club in Los Angeles on Melrose Avenue. You would go up and I think the paycheck was $7.25. That's what you get paid total. There's no way you could do that for the money because, I mean, it's worthless. What's $7 going to do for you?
But it was the getting on stage, the stage time that was priceless and building an act and trying to get a persona and build a brand and build a character and work in your act that could lead to a bigger act or a Saturday night gig. A Saturday night gig paid maybe $20 a gig, and that was kind of okay money. And they would also feed you on a Saturday, which is great because I had no food.
I was just living there going like, I got to $7. I can buy some things, but you didn't really eat much.
Saturday they would feed you and I remember my first Saturday gig at the improv I go in it's a big deal and I'm brand new probably out in LA maybe six months or something and I worked my way you have to do any weeknight anytime they call you have to be up there and so I did that and I put my dues in for that and showed up I did pretty well I had a good ten minute act
And Saturday night gig, and I get there, and I see Jerry Seinfeld in the restaurant. And I go out to the pay phone, and I call my parents, 1-800-COLLECT. Do you know what that is? At least just about. Yeah, it's like a way to make a collect call so that you don't pay for it if you have no money.
So you would call 1-800-COLLECT, and someone would have to pay for the – my parents would pay for the phone call from L.A. And I called my mom, 1-800-COLLECT, and she goes – Hi, Jimmy. I go, Mom, Jerry Seinfeld is at the club at the improv tonight.
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Chapter 7: What impact did Jimmy's mother's death have on him?
And I said, I want to be on Saturday Night Live. That's very specific. That's like, yeah, it's one in a zillion. That's what I want. And he brought that up to me, brings it up. He's like, I'll never forget that. You said that that's what you wanted to do. And that was my ultimate, ultimate. I said, if I do nothing else in life, that's all I wanted to do.
And, like, even if that... If I got on for one season or one episode, then I could do whatever I could. I didn't care what I did after that.
That was my... What was the fixation with Saturday Night Live?
I think my parents loved it and their friends loved it, but that was what they would watch. And that was, like, the pinnacle of comedy. That was the best comedy show in America. And so that was the best. So it's like playing for the greatest... Team, you know, playing for the Yankees or, you know, whatever. I don't know soccer, but Arsenal? I have no idea.
Manchester United.
Oh, Manchester United. You couldn't help yourself. Oh, my gosh. But yes, playing for that. You want to play? Play for the best. If you can make it there, that's the best team.
Then you could do whatever for that if you play for Man U. It's slightly different with you because a lot of upcoming football players would be happy to play for any Premier League team. Man United is, of course, great, but they would aim for any Premier League team, whereas you seem to be religiously intent on it being Saturday Night Live.
Yeah, it had to be that, because I think that's what we would watch, we would talk about. As a family. As kind of a family, yeah, as a family. They would tape it. We were one of the first families to have a VCR, which is anyone young listening to this podcast. a videocassette recorder. So it would tape, it's like a DVR, digital video recording.
So it's a videocassette and you would tape it on these giant tapes and they would record two hours on television. And so we would tape the show and then you could rewatch it.
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Chapter 8: How did obsession play a role in Jimmy's journey to SNL?
Overcoming that.
Yeah. Overcoming like hating on you or. you know, saying you're not good or something. It's like, you don't think that's going to happen, but it, you know, it will, if you're successful, because someone will be like, uh, You know, someone's not going to like you no matter what.
As someone that's always trying to please, is that the antithesis of pleasing for one's brain who is orientated towards making people happy? It's the worst.
Yes, it is the absolute worst. I hate it. I want everyone to like me. I can't stand it. I go, oh my gosh, what can I do to make you like me? I think the answer is you can't make everyone like you. You just have to do what you do and do the best at what you do and be happy with yourself.
I mean, like, what's the alternative? The alternative is you quit, you change.
Yeah, you quit or you change you to be, I guess, what the person who hates you likes. Someone else will just hate that. Yeah, the original people will hate that, that you changed and you go, oh, yeah. And then you'll hit yourself. Yeah. I mean, I love music, but I remember I loved the Beastie Boys growing up. And there's that one line Mike D says, be true to yourself and you will never fall.
And it's like, kind of is the move. Just be true to yourself. Then there's no, everyone can say whatever they want.
It's like, that's who I am. How did you cope with that stardom, being thrust into public spotlight? You're getting feedback from everywhere. You're getting the good, the bad, the ugly. You're someone that wants to please. Did you seek any professional help? Did you get any support?
No. No, I just kind of lived through it and go like, yeah. I think I'll figure it out. I think fame was fun. It's cooler. It's cooler than cool. It's like, wow, this is what I thought it would be. But it's also, at the end of the day, it's the work and the stuff that you do and the stuff that comes out of it where I'm most proud of, where I'm like, oh, I get to do this.
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