Flirting with a fascist: Jimmy Fallon 'humanises' Donald Trump

A US television host accused of "humanising a monster" after cavorting around on television with Donald Trump.

2 min read

Taufiq Wan

17 Sep, 2016

Social media users were incensed at Fallon's 'humanising' of Trump [YouTube]

Is it ever okay for mainstream media personalities to trivialise hate politics and its proponents? Judging from reactions to US television host Jimmy Fallon's latest antics with Donald Trump, the answer is perhaps a solid 'no'.

Fallon, host of the Tonight Show - the world's longest-running talk show once hosted by Jay Leno - was accused by social media users of "showering a racist with love" after he frolicked around on TV with the man who has become an international poster boy of the far right.

That Trump believes Muslims should be arbitrarily banned from entering the US, or that he once referred to Mexicans as "rapists" could all too easily be lost on some who watched as Fallon sycophantically cackled to Trump's jokes and personal anecdotes.

This was perhaps easy for Fallon - a man who is neither Mexican nor Muslim - to do so with such obliviousness. Thankfully, however, social media users were ready as ever to remind the TV host of his privileged position.

"That feeling when Trump doesn't threaten your livelihood" read one tweet captioning an image of Fallon gleefully rubbing the 70-year-old's thinning head of hair.

The moment that Fallon ruffled Trump's malting mop of hair was the climax of the display.

At the same time, this was possibly the point in the show that left many wondering how Fallon could be so heedless - even as his fingers ran through the thin blonde whisps that keep Trump's baldness as well hidden as his racism.

Twitter Post

"Was Jimmy Fallon supposed to do a hard-hitting interview? Of course not. Was he supposed to shower a racist with love? No. Not that, either," tweeted another user.

Twitter Post

Those who took to their keyboards to express their disgust were not in the outraged few, either.

According to social media analytics company Canvs, Thursday night's installment of the Tonight Show attracted around 2,323 percent more Twitter hate than usual.

While some have argued that Fallon is not a journalist, thus absolving him of responsibility, for many underrepresented minorities in the US, Trump is a figure of fear who threatens their livelihoods.

Fallon has yet to respond to the social media storm he unleashed, however on Monday is due to host Democtratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.