When Jimmy Fallon Got Visibly Uncomfortable By Cardi B’s Initial Appearance on ‘The Tonight Show’

For many years, Jimmy Fallon has provided audiences with unparalleled entertainment. When he joined the cast of Saturday Night Live, he shot to fame, later making the transition to late-night television and then finally taking over as host of The Tonight Show. Although Fallon is a natural and has a knack for interviewing people, he has also experienced his fair share of awkward situations, such as Cardi B's first appearance on the show.

The way Fallon handled the rapper's fun and extra energy was criticized by many, and the result made several viewers cringe, per The Things. Cardi B's debut appearance on The Tonight Show in 2017 left Fallon unprepared for her 'pumpy' energy.

It seemed at first as though the host didn't get her trademark sense of humor, which fans love about her. Cardi B made one of her trademark noises when the interview started, and Fallon was visibly uncomfortable and didn't know how to react. When Cardi B did her signature 'Eeeoooow' in response to Fallon asking her about her Bronx roots, Fallon simply fell quiet and drank a sip of water. A Twitter user aptly reacted to the appearance, explaining, "So entertaining for Cardi, but awkward for Jimmy." 

The two developed a rather comfortable rapport as the session progressed. She discussed being engaged to rapper Offset. "He always used to tell me, ‘I’m gonna marry you!’ and it’s just like, ‘Hm, it’s the right thing to do,'" she said. "I knew he was going to give me a really expensive gift because he wasn’t there for my birthday. But I thought he was going to give me a watch or something, but he just went out his way. OK?"

In addition, she discussed being nominated for a Grammy for Bodak Yellow, adding that despite her nerves, she already felt like a winner. "I am nervous. You wanna know something? I already feel like a winner, you know what I’m saying? Because, it’s just like, I never thought, me!" she said. "Like, I already won. What’s good?"

But the dynamic between the two eventually evolved. Cardi B and Fallon got along so well that the next year, they even co-hosted an episode. Cardi B's charm is widely known, but her co-hosting The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon was an absolute masterclass in charm. Before the rapper settled into Fallon's chair, she and Fallon tag-teamed the show's monologue, at one point taking turns riffing on a popular Donald Trump image, per Vanity Fair. Even though this was Cardi B's third appearance on The Tonight Show, fans got to see a lot more of her than they normally would because she was a co-host.

Cardi B performed before she departed The Tonight Show, as the entire co-hosting gig was designed to promote her debut studio album, Invasion of Privacy. Her expanded position in the program, though, was a brilliant move. Modern late-night programs are frequently criticized for lacking genuine spontaneity. But with Cardi present, Fallon's show had an electrifying, surprising energy running through it.

Editor's note: This article was originally published on September 29, 2023. It has since been updated.