’25 was my thing’: Jimmy Fallon opens up about his disturbing ‘SNL’ deadline that had everyone worried

Late-night talk show host Jimmy Fallon recently revealed shocking details about his intense obsession with joining the cast of “Saturday Night Live” during his younger years. The admission came during a candid interview with Steven Bartlett on “The Diary of a CEO” podcast.

According to Huff Post, in the interview, Fallon disclosed that he had set a strict deadline for himself to become a cast member of the iconic comedy show. The pressure he put on himself was so intense that he made a disturbing promise in his journal about what would happen if he failed to achieve his goal.

“I wrote that in something, in some journal or something. If I don’t get on ‘Saturday Night Live’ by the age of 25, then I’ll kill myself,” Fallon admitted during the interview. When pressed about whether he was serious about this statement, he confirmed he was, though he later clarified that “it wasn’t really a threat” because he was confident he would make it onto the show. “25 was my thing,” he emphasized.

How Fallon’s early obsession with SNL shaped his career path

The “Fever Pitch” actor’s fascination with SNL began at an early age, developing into what he describes as an intense studying of the show. During an appearance on the “Fly on the Wall” podcast in 2022, Fallon revealed that he would record every episode and isolate himself to analyze the program in detail.

His dedication to studying SNL was so complete that he wouldn’t allow anyone, not even his parents or friends, to be around him while he watched the show. He specifically mentioned being inspired by cast member Dana Carvey, stating that his primary motivation for joining SNL was to follow in Carvey’s footsteps.

The intensity of Fallon’s commitment to joining SNL was evident in his methodical approach to watching and studying the show. He described himself as an “SNL nerd” who needed complete solitude to focus on understanding every aspect of the program, treating it more like an academic pursuit than entertainment.

Ultimately, Fallon’s determination paid off as he successfully joined the cast of “Saturday Night Live” before his self-imposed deadline, going on to become a valued cast member from 1998 to 2004. His six-season run on the show would later pave the way for his successful career as a late-night talk show host, proving that his singular focus, though concerning at the time, led to the achievement of his lifelong dream.