Fallon: Bowe Bergdahl Jokes

For days now, the biggest story in the nation has been the release of AWOL/deserter/anti-American Bowe Bergdahl in exchange for the release of five Taliban leaders from Gitmo.

Naturally, The Tonight Show monologue would address the issue, right?

Wrong.

There was absolutely nothing about Bergdahl or the Taliban or the swap. Nothing.

In fact, there was only one joke that included Obama at all. It was about the possibility of Obama living in New York after he leaves the White House. Fallon said that Obama would need two roommates to afford that. Then Fallon did an impression of Obama and some little vignettes of Obama complaining about his roommates drinking his milk and not doing the dishes. It was amazingly lame.

Since Jimmy Fallon took over The Tonight Show, the monologue has taken a dramatically different turn. It's not topical. It's just goofy. That was fine when Fallon was host of Late Night, but I've come to expect a topical monologue from The Tonight Show.

Johnny Carson and Jay Leno always did jokes about the president, both Democrats and Republicans, and the hot topics of the day.

Jimmy Fallon started tonight's monologue with a Rob Ford joke. Oh my God, stop with the Rob Ford jokes!

Fallon appears to be letting his chumminess with the Obamas and his personal politics get in the way of humor.

I really enjoyed Jimmy Fallon's Late Night. He's very talented and likable.

Unfortunately, his monologue sucks. It's not topical. It's not Tonight Show stuff.

It really sucks.

I actually watched a bit of Letterman last night, something I haven't done in years. I wanted to see Letterman interview Donald Trump. It was entertaining-ish.

I really miss the old Tonight Show monologue. Once upon a time, it was topical and funny and didn't mention Rob Ford.