Jimmy Fallon made a moving tribute to his late mother Gloria as he returned to The Tonight Show on Monday.
The comic, who took a week’s hiatus to deal with her death, at times paused to collect himself as he spoke of the loss of the 68-year-old.
Clearly still grieving, he said his supportive mother: ‘She was the best audience, she was the one I was always trying to make laugh, and she was such a fan of the show and everything I did.’
‘She was the best audience’: Jimmy Fallon pays tribute to his mother Gloria as he returns to work on The Tonight Show after her death
Missed: Gloria Fallon died last week at the age of 68; her son paid tribute to her on his show
Jimmy spoke of his fond memories of a happy childhood.
‘When we were little, my mom would walk us to this store, me and my sister, and she would squeeze my hand three times and say, “I love you,” and I would squeeze back, “I love you, too.”‘
Pausing to gather himself, he then continued: ‘Last week I was in the hospital and I grabbed her and squeezed I love you. I just knew we were in trouble, you know?
Close bond: he said of his mother: ‘She was the best audience, she was the one I was always trying to make laugh, and she was such a fan of the show and everything I did’
Back at it: The SNL alum, 43, cancelled his Friday, November 3 show after learning his mother Gloria had been hospitalized
‘I feel so grateful to be able to do this every single night and I’m very appreciative of all the support from all of you that my family received over the past week.’
The SNL alum, 43, is back in action after cancelling his Friday, November 3 show after learning his mother Gloria had been hospitalized.
During Fallon’s one week absence taping of the show was temporarily suspended and reruns were aired.
Loss: The mother of the Tonight Show host died ‘peacefully’ Saturday November 4 at New York City’s NYU Langone Medical Center, a family spokesperson said
The mother of the Tonight Show host died ‘peacefully’ Saturday November 4 at New York City’s NYU Langone Medical Center, a family spokesperson said.
Gloria is survived by husband James W Fallon, daughter Gloria, son Jimmy and four grandchildren.
Jimmy is likely taking comfort in wife-of-ten-years Nancy Juvonen and their two daughters Winnie, four, and Frances, two, who he was seen out with last week.
A difficult losss: ‘Today I lost my biggest fan,’ Fallon (above c. 1992) told Us Weekly after news of his mom’s passing
Family values: The elder Gloria Fallon is survived by husband James W. Fallon, daughter Gloria, son Jimmy and four grandchildren, all together in April 2017 above