NBC late-night show had highest ratings of year with Fox host’s appearance

The media reacted with fake articles about backlash: Gutfeld

Fox News hosts Greg Gutfeld and ‘Gutfeld!’ guests discuss the Democrats’ meltdown over Greg’s appearance on ‘The Tonight Show’ with Jimmy Fallon.

Fox News Channel host Greg Gutfeld’s first appearance on NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” last Thursday delivered the program’s largest audience of the year.

The “Gutfeld!” namesake joined Fallon from the iconic Studio 6B in Rockefeller Center, a stone’s throw from FOX News Media’s New York City headquarters in Manhattan.

Gutfeld’s appearance drew 1.7 million viewers, marking the highest-rated “Tonight Show” of 2025 and giving the program a 57% increase compared to its year-to-date average of 1.1 million viewers, according to data from Nielsen Media Research.

The Jonas Brothers were the other guests the night of Gutfeld’s appearance. The YouTube clip of Gutfeld’s appearance had nearly 1 million views as of Tuesday afternoon, the most of any interview on Fallon’s channel in nearly a month.

Fox News’ Greg Gutfeld appeared on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.” (Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Images)

Gutfeld’s appearance on NBC’s late-night show also attracted 294,000 viewers aged 25-54, the demographic most coveted by advertisers, for a 13% increase from 2025 average.

During the crossover event, Gutfeld revealed how he first met the fellow late-night host. After giving Fallon a warm embrace, Gutfeld quipped that it “brought back memories.”

“This is hilarious — we’ve met before,” Fallon began.

“Yes, you have no memory of it,” Gutfeld responded. “Which is understandable, because we were wasted.”

Fox News’ Greg Gutfeld appeared on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.” (Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Images)

Gutfeld’s appearance on NBC’s late-night show also attracted 294,000 viewers aged 25-54, the demographic most coveted by advertisers, for a 13% increase from 2025 average.

During the crossover event, Gutfeld revealed how he first met the fellow late-night host. After giving Fallon a warm embrace, Gutfeld quipped that it “brought back memories.”

“This is hilarious — we’ve met before,” Fallon began.

“Yes, you have no memory of it,” Gutfeld responded. “Which is understandable, because we were wasted.”

Fox News Channel host Greg Gutfeld’s appearance on NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” last Thursday delivered the program’s largest audience of the year.   (Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Images)

The “Gutfeld!” host said their encounter took place at an “illegal speakeasy” in Hell’s Kitchen roughly 15 years ago owned by their mutual friend Tracy, saying the inside looked “like a place where special ops forces waterboard terrorists” and that Fallon tackled him when they met.

Gutfeld recalled Fallon throwing away his cigarette and warning him of the dangers of smoking, before reversing course and buying him a pack to make up for it.

“I go, ‘That was really sweet. You want me to die,'” Gutfeld said, as Fallon and the audience laughed.

“I’m sorry I tackled you,” Fallon said later with a grin.

Fox News host Greg Gutfeld.

“It was all very good-natured, and it was a great memory,” Gutfeld told the NBC host. “And I’m so glad I finally got to tell you!”

Gutfeld and Fallon also discussed his FOX Nation game show, “What Did I Miss?”, where contestants who’ve been isolated for months try to pick real news from fake news.

“Gutfeld!” was guest-hosted by Kat Timpf and continued its dominance on Thursday, finishing the night with the largest audience in late night across the board, with 2.7 million total viewers.

Fox News Channel’s “Gutfeld!” is the most-watched late-night program on television and regularly outdraws late-night offerings on NBC, CBS and ABC. Gutfeld is also co-host of “The Five,” alongside Dana Perino, Jesse Watters, Jessica Tarlov and Harold Ford Jr., which finished July as the most-watched cable news program in America.

Fox News Digital’s Joseph A. Wulfsohn contributed to this report.