Jimmy Fallon and a packed audience of 3,000 got a big dose of Motor City magic Sunday afternoon (Sept. 14), when NBC’s “Tonight Show” did a live taping at the Detroit Opera House.
The crackling energy and passionate hometown pride were palpable from the second the cameras started rolling and were elevated by news of the Detroit Lions’ massive win over the Chicago Bears, which was announced to the audience just moments before the show began.
Jimmy Fallon and house band the Roots performed a Detroit song segment during the taping of “The Tonight Show” on Sept. 14 at the Detroit Opera House.
After a warm-up comic did some exchanges with the audience, Fallon’s house band, the Roots, kicked things off. A specially designed opening title sequence with dazzling shots from around the city introduced Fallon, who was overwhelmed by the wildly enthusiastic crowd. Halfway through the show, he said he was starting to lose his voice from having to compete with the audience’s roars.
Affable, charming and playful, Fallon sang, danced, leaped onto his desk and ran all over the stage. He sang an original song he wrote about Detroit, then was joined by guest (and native Detroiter) Keegan-Michael Key (sporting a Lions jersey) for a lip-synch segment that nodded to Detroit’s Motown Records legacy. Motown legend Martha Reeves smiled and waved from an opera box.
Fallon’s second guest, Detroit Pistons player Cade Cunningham, spoke of his love for the city and its people. Rapper Common (who’s practically an honorary Detroiter at this point) and singer Bilal then joined the Roots for a powerful tribute to late Detroit rapper J Dilla, while a graffiti artist created a portrait of Dilla live onstage.
Jimmy Fallon and show guest Keegan-Michael Key waved a Detroit Lions One Pride flag at the Lions-Chicago Bears game at Ford Field on Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025.
As the final surprise, Fallon brought out Detroit Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, fresh from the team’s victory only about an hour prior. The cheers were deafening as Hutchinson made his entrance and presented Fallon with the Lions-Bears game ball.
Crowd members remained enthusiastic after the show’s conclusion.
Zariah Bradford, a Detroit native who called herself “a really big fan of ‘The Tonight Show,’” raved about the taping.
“I have friends from New York,” she said, “and they said it’s really hard to get tickets to a taping. So I put my name on the list and did a little solo date with myself. I love seeing artists do what they love to do, so I think my favorite part was just seeing Jimmy do his thing. You can honestly tell the crowd really loves him, and being able to experience that was so much fun.”
Morris Robinson said he had been a fan of Fallon since the star’s “Saturday Night Live” days.
“Oh, it was great,” said Robinson. “You got a chance to see how it works behind the scenes and how it comes together. That was exciting. I enjoyed the whole experience, but seeing Cade Cunningham, seeing a Piston up close, that was my favorite part.”
Heather Stephens of Fenton was decked out in Lions gear and said the experience was part of the best day of her life.
“We were at the game, and then here they gave us free tickets out on the street, and it was all an amazing experience,” Stephens said. “I love Jimmy Fallon. I’ve already been to see him in New York, but this was way better. It’s a great day!”
“The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” will air its Detroit-centric episode Monday, Sept. 15, at 11:35 p.m. on NBC. It will be available to stream the following day on Peacock.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Jimmy Fallon’s ‘Tonight Show’ came to Detroit. Here’s what happened.
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