Jimmy Fallon saw his ‘career flash before his eyes’ after extremely awkward moment almost got him canceled

Jimmy Fallon fans claimed the chat show host saw his career 'flash before his eyes' after one of his guests called him out for his description of them.

Over the course of a decade Fallon has welcomed all manner of celebrity guests on his show, with some interviews going more smoothly than others.

The host is tasked with trying to entice original, funny and interesting stories out of celebrities without offending them, and is mostly successful.

Though he had a notable brush with controversy after facing toxic workplace allegations last year, he's largely managed to stay out of trouble.

Jimmy Fallon is a beloved chat show host (Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Images)

However, in 2020 there came a moment when Fallon appeared to have royally f**ked up, and it happened when he sat down with RuPaul, host of the beloved RuPaul's Drag Race.

You can watch Fallon's terrified reaction as he thought he was about to get 'cancelled' below:

During the interview, Fallon pulled out a copy of Vanity Fair with RuPaul on the cover, noting it was 'the first time a drag queen has ever appeared on the cover'.

But before Fallon could finish congratulating RuPaul, his guest shouted: "A drag queen? A drag queen."

A look of shock settled on Fallon's face as he stared at RuPaul, apparently terrified that he'd offended his guest with his use of the phrase 'drag queen'.

Fallon's jaw literally dropped open at one point, and viewers were quick to comment on his reaction.

A look of horror came over Fallon. (The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon)

"Watched his entire career flash before his eyes…," one fan wrote on X after watching the clip.

Another commented: "You can actually pinpoint where his heart stops."

Fallon himself later admitted he thought his career was 'over' in that moment - but RuPaul soon put him out of his misery.

After seemingly calling out Fallon for calling him a 'drag queen', RuPaul added: "I am the QUEEN of drag."

Fans couldn't get over Fallon's reaction. (X)

Realizing RuPaul had been messing with him, Fallon's face flooded with relief.

"The face crack, the relief, the career flashing before his eyes. A masterpiece," one delighted viewer posted.

A second added: "Watch his face frame by frame, especially after the punchline hits, he looks away in complete relief and goes back in."

A week after RuPaul appeared on the show, and after Fallon had a few days to process what had almost happened, he reflected back on their encounter in another episode of his show.

"Some people said I looked a little nervous at one point during the interview," he said.

"I really thought it was over. 'That's it, I'm canceled.' I started my own hashtag, #JimmyFallonIsOverParty. 'I had a good run, I had 10 years in the business.'

"I was like, 'Wait, what did I do wrong?' It was so funny."

Topics: Jimmy Fallon, Celebrity, US News, Viral

Emily Brown

Emily Brown is UNILAD Editorial Lead at LADbible Group. She first began delivering news when she was just 11 years old - with a paper route - before graduating with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University. Emily joined UNILAD in 2018 to cover breaking news, trending stories and longer form features. She went on to become Community Desk Lead, commissioning and writing human interest stories from across the globe, before moving to the role of Editorial Lead. Emily now works alongside the UNILAD Editor to ensure the page delivers accurate, interesting and high quality content.