Jimmy Fallon Surprises Fans at Capital Region Comedy Show, and This is Why

This past Saturday, comedian Nate Bargatze brought his Be Funny Tour to Albany's MVP Arena.

It's been quite the year-plus for Bargatze. The comedian has hosted Saturday Night Live, been a guest picker on ESPN's College Gameday, and has presented an award (Male Vocalist of the Year) at the CMA Awards.

All the while, he's been touring the world, performing stand-up comedy for thousands of people at a time. His tour reached New York this weekend, with stops in Syracuse in Friday, and Albany on Saturday.

Right before the tour's host, Julian McCullough, was about to bring Bargatze on-stage, he paused, and told the audience that there was one more special guest who would be performing. It was at that moment that McCullough welcomed Jimmy Fallon, host of The Tonight Show, onto the stage.

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The roar of the crowd was seismic, as the endlessly energetic late-night host took the stage. As excited as we all were (yes, I was there) to see Fallon in-person, we couldn't help but wonder why he was in the building.

Sure, his talk show is filmed in New York City, but it had to be another reason. Right?

Right!

He explained it all in his set on Saturday:

@sarah_sharkey_ Not the fake degree 😂 #strose #albany #saintroseclosing #saintrose #jimmyfallon #mvp #college ♬ original sound - sarah_sharkey

So, for those that do not know, or those that forgot (me), Fallon attended The College of Saint Rose in Albany, arriving on campus in the fall of 1992. He did not finish his undergraduate degree at the time, but would return to the college in 2009, at which time he was awarded both his bachelor's degree, and an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters.

Come to find out, Fallon had a busy Saturday in the Capital Region before MVP Arena's doors were even opened. He visited Saint Rose earlier in the day, and apparently, spent some time hanging out with current students:

@heavenandsel fever dream. #fyp #kegsandeggs ♬ eyes on my baby x between friends demo - BETWEEN FRIENDS

When Nate Bargatze came out to begin his set, he described that letting Fallon loose in Albany was like letting a dog off of his collar to run wild. That got a big laugh from everyone, myself included.

During Fallon's brief set, he made a few jokes about the college being shut down, which will happen after the 2023-24 academic year. That said, it was clear how much his time at Saint Rose, and the Capital Region, meant to him.

It was an incredible surprise for the 10,000-or-so fans in the arena, and a wonderful nod to an institution that has provided so much, to so many students over the years.

I'll have to write him a thank you note for that.