Jimmy Fallon Brings Tonight Show to Detroit Opera House

DETROIT – Jimmy Fallon is taking The Tonight Show on the road, with a special episode set to air from the Detroit Opera House. The late-night host shared his excitement about the city and its rich food culture during an interview ahead of the taping on Sunday, September 15, 2025.

‘The energy here is crazy. I mean, it’s buzzing,’ said Fallon. ‘We got the Lions playing, man. You came on the perfect day. I’m gonna give the win for the Lions.’ Fallon referred to the Lions’ impressive 52-21 victory over the Chicago Bears the previous day.

Fallon wasted no time trying out Detroit‘s culinary delights, revealing he had enjoyed a remarkable burger at Miller's Bar and indulged in Detroit-style pizza at Buddy's. ‘Oh my gosh, Buddy’s pizza, and I wanted to eat the whole pie,’ he exclaimed.

This special Motor City episode results from Fallon’s partnership with Ford Motor Company. ‘We’ve been doing a lot of fun stuff with Ford. They were thinking about what big thing we can do, and I said, let’s do the show from Detroit,’ he said. ‘Thanks to the great people at Ford, they flew all of us out. We’re jamming. It’s gonna be a fun party.’

Monday’s episode will feature guest appearances by actor Keegan-Michael Key and musical performances by Common with The Roots and Bilal. Fallon hinted at surprises, including pre-taped bits featuring the Lions, calling it ‘a love letter to Detroit.’

Choosing the Detroit Opera House for the show was intentional. ‘It’s an iconic venue for Detroit. It might be one of the most beautiful sets we’ve ever made,’ Fallon noted, expressing optimism about the show’s success.

As a father of two daughters, Fallon shared a lighthearted story about a whipped cream prank from his 11-year-old child. He expressed a desire to return with his family for another visit. ‘I definitely want to be back,’ he said. ‘Hopefully, we come back and we do this more often. I’m putting the vibes out. Go Lions!’