[@TheDiaryOfACEO] Jimmy Fallon: I Didn't Expect It To Be This Brutal! I Was Starving & Had A Suicide Pact With Myself!

Link: https://youtu.be/yHCtfU3syM4

Short Summary

Number One Action Item/Takeaway:

Stay true to yourself and do what you want to do in order to be successful and happy, even in the face of adversity.

Executive Summary:

Jimmy Fallon's journey to success stemmed from an unwavering obsession with being on Saturday Night Live and a deep-seated desire to please people. Despite numerous rejections and moments of self-doubt, he persevered by staying true to his goal, working tirelessly on his craft, and maintaining a positive outlook, eventually achieving his dream and using his platform to spread joy.

Key Quotes

Here are five quotes from the Jimmy Fallon interview that I found particularly insightful:

1. "It's tough when you're just not getting the the it's not working and you want to tell everyone that it is working, but it's hard. It's a lot of rejection and you end up like you just trying so hard and you go I know what I want but it it takes it takes so much time to get there but in the meantime you have to take auditions." - This speaks to the struggle and persistence required in pursuing a creative career.

2. "I wrote that in something in some journal or something. You wrote what? If I don't get on Sent Live by the age of 25 that I'll I'll kill myself. Did you mean that? Yeah, I did. But again, I knew that I was going to be on Sar Live, so I guess I didn't really mean it because I I was going to be on Sar Live before I was 25." - This is an example of strong opinion that gives the interviewer/listener an understanding into the "never give up" mentality of Jimmy Fallon.

3. "I knew that I was going to be on Sar Live, so I guess I didn't really mean it because I I was going to be on Sar Live before I was 25." - Captures Fallon's unwavering self-belief despite facing rejection.

4. "I go she would be psyched. She would be proud. She would that would make her laugh. I still think of her for most things I do. Like she would love that. That would make her laugh. That would make her proud. She'd be like, "Oh, that's funny." Or, "That's that's good that you did that." - Reveals the enduring influence and motivation of his mother even after her passing.

5. "People's jobs are to take me down, you know, and and to put bad press out and stuff. It's just that's their job. And that's and you're just like, oo, I didn't think it was I I don't live in that world. I don't believe that it's real, but it kind of is real. and you go, "Oh, people are just going to be mean." And you got to again just toughen up and get through it and just keep your head down and keep being funny and just keep doing things and keep keep being creative and just if you move that out, you realize it's not even real. That's not it's it's real, but it's noise and it's just it doesn't affect you." - This quote shows Fallon's acknowledgement of the reality of negativity and haters and a strong opinion on the best way to deal with that to be successful.

Detailed Summary

Okay, here is a detailed summary of the YouTube video transcript, using bullet points, focusing on the key topics and arguments, and excluding advertisements:

• Early Life & Influences:

  • Jimmy Fallon describes himself as a lifelong "people pleaser," always wanting to make others happy, possibly influenced by his desire to please his parents and grandparents.
  • He had aspirations of being a priest and was an altar boy, which he recognizes as a performance.
  • His parents were strict Catholics; his father would censor curse words and inappropriate content from his music and videos.
  • His father was a "tough guy" from Brooklyn, involved in street gangs and singing doo-wop. His mother was his number one fan and cheerleader.
  • He talks to his mom often as an adult and she is interested in his work and watches his television appearances.
  • He shares a funny, embarrassing story about taking his parents out to dinner, during which his mother had a choking incident.

• Discovering Comedy & Career Aspirations:

  • In eighth grade, Fallon was voted "most likely to replace David Letterman."
  • He became obsessed with Saturday Night Live (SNL).
  • He worked at the Improv comedy club, where he made very little money, and used cardboard boxes as furniture.
  • His aim was SNL and he said if he didn't make it before he was 25, he was going to kill himself.
  • He made birthday wishes to be on Saturday Night Live.
  • He believed performing impersonations would be his way into SNL.
  • He moved to LA and took classes at the Groundlings improv group.
  • He ran out of money while pursuing his comedy dreams in LA and felt despondent.

• The Road to SNL:

  • Fallon dropped out of college to pursue comedy in LA. His parents were hesitant, but supportive with some convincing.
  • His parents dealt that if he went to college for four years, his parents would pay for two years and he would pay for two years. He dropped out with one half of one semester left.
  • He moved out to LA with a manager.
  • He describes getting numerous rejections during the audition process for minor acting roles (e.g., a lifeguard in The Brady Bunch 2).
  • He got a holding deal at Warner Brothers television to act in a sitcom. He asked the the contract to state that if he got SNL, he would leave the deal.
  • He got an audition for SNL and went to New York to do standup at a comedy club.
  • His first SNL audition was unsuccessful and he felt he had blown his "big opportunity."

• Success on SNL and Beyond:

  • Fallon received a second chance at an SNL audition.
  • The producer told him Lauren Michaels (creator of SNL) doesn't laugh, so don't let that throw you off.
  • He made Lauren Michaels laugh during his second audition.
  • He got a call from Lauren Michaels offering him a spot on SNL.
  • After SNL, Fallon hosted "Late Night", and then "The Tonight Show".
  • He met his wife through the show and considers being on Saturday Live to be the best thing that ever happened to him.
  • He talks about a memory with Mick Jagger.

• Fame and Overcoming Negativity:

  • He discusses adjusting to fame, which included dealing with rejection, having sketches cut, and encountering "haters."
  • He coped by focusing on his work, being creative, and not letting negativity affect him.
  • As a people-pleaser, dealing with criticism was difficult for him.
  • He advises staying true to yourself and ignoring the negativity.

• Dealing with Loss:

  • He talks about the death of his mother, Gloria, and how much he misses her, especially her laughter and positive feedback.
  • Her passing has not changed his perspective on his work and he still does it in her honor.

• Longevity and Health:

  • Fallon discusses his recent focus on longevity and health.
  • He states that he wants to be around for his kids and be financially stable for them.
  • He is eating better, working out, walking every day, and getting checkups.
  • He is not drinking as much.

• Business Ventures and Current Projects:

  • He has founded a production company and produced several shows and films.
  • He has created a comedy album and a Christmas album, but hopes to create a successful verb, "holiday seasoning".
  • He is involved with Tonight Dough ice cream and raises money for Serious Fun charity.
  • He has a ride at Universal Studios.
  • He owns Gobstoppers Skate Shoes.
  • He likes making people happy and it is a through line of his life and various business ventures.

• Fatherhood and Advice:

  • Fallon became a father and it is the greatest thing.
  • Fallon's kids are the best kids and he loves them very much.
  • He appreciates other children more than ever before.
  • His advice to his daughters for a life well-lived is to "be nice to people, give when you can, and make people smile."
  • His advice to his daughters for success is to "do what you want to do."

• Reflections and Legacy:

  • He feels he is misunderstood as someone who just laughs at everything.
  • He wants his gravestone to read, "He had a good time."
  • The video ends with an emotional note about the impact Fallon has on his fans, bringing happiness and joy to the world.
  • He says that hopefully he can pass his game and get to the next level.