Jimmy Fallon has remained silent for over a week following his controversial interview with UFC fighter Conor McGregor, a move that PR expert Laura Perkes says is no accident. Perkes, who specializes in crisis management, told Metro that Fallon's team is employing a classic reputation management strategy: waiting out the storm.
Backlash Over McGregor Interview
The Tonight Show host faced widespread condemnation after airing a friendly chat with McGregor, who was found liable in a civil case for the 2018 rape of Nikita Hand in a Dublin hotel. Hand suffered extensive injuries, including bruising on all limbs, a bloodied scratch on her breast, neck tenderness, and a possible vaginal tear from a tampon that required forceps for removal. McGregor, 37, has maintained the encounter was consensual and lost his appeal against the ruling. He is now attempting a career comeback with UFC.
Social media erupted with outrage, including criticism from Yellowjackets star Christina Ricci. TikTok videos, Reddit threads, and boycott calls have accused Fallon of normalizing violence against women and betraying sexual assault victims.
PR Strategy: Silence as a Tool
Perkes explained Fallon's silence: 'They're doing reputation management 101. The interview happened, it aired, people are not happy, so rather than perpetuating it themselves, they're making sure their social media holds a more positive light.' She noted that the show is posting clips of past guests to shift focus.
Perkes added that Fallon likely had limited say in the guest selection, but 'it's his job as the host to provide a brilliant interview.' She suggested the team pre-agreed on questions to keep the segment light and entertaining, despite McGregor's background.
Why Statements Are No Longer Effective
In today's fast-paced social media landscape, Perkes argued that silence has become more effective than issuing a statement. 'In the age of social media, everything keeps moving so quickly, even a statement can sometimes seem delayed. By the time the statement's been written, approved and announced, it's been a day or two,' she said. The strategy is to 'turn the other cheek and not worry about it,' letting the controversy 'blow over.'
Potential Career Impact
Perkes believes the backlash will have no 'career repercussions' for Fallon and may even attract new viewers. 'In any situation, you'll have people who answer with their feet. They move away from the show, they'll blast it on social media. But then there are other people who didn't know about Jimmy Fallon, or they didn't know The Tonight Show, and they'll look at clips on TikTok, and realise: "Oh, actually, he's actually a really fun guy" and look for his interviews,' she explained.
She also acknowledged a pattern of 'white men protecting other white men,' noting Fallon's previous friendly interview with Donald Trump. 'His career is safe in that respect. The algorithm changes so fast, there's so much content because they know it will just blow over,' Perkes said.
Celebrity Guests Unlikely to Be Deterred
Perkes predicted that aside from those who actively called out Fallon, like Ricci, most celebrities will still appear on the show. 'Let's face it, celebrities exist to draw attention to themselves, the film they're in, the album they're about to release, or the tour they're about to go on. Their press team will have to weigh up the pros and cons that being on this show will deliver, and they will probably say there are more positives,' she concluded.
Metro has reached out to Jimmy Fallon's representative and NBCUniversal for comment.
