The Tonight Show and its host Jimmy Fallon love to wheel celebrities out in front of the general public for some costumed chicanery. Whether it's with Paul McCartney popping up at an elevator stop or with Adam Levine rocking out in the NYC subway, Fallon frequently finds new ways to surprise everyday New York citizens. He was at it again recently, hitting up Central Park with pop superstar Justin Bieber for a mustachioed good time of photobombing unsuspecting people:
Both appearing as if they'd just woken from a couch nap, Jimmy Fallon and Justin Bieber pranced around Central Park and did whatever they could to be as distracting as possible. Most people tried to ignore them, perhaps thinking they were random YouTubers or struggling film students invested in a bad sketch. That's almost certainly due to the fact their disguises were so good in their awfulness, since there's little chance someone on the street would've instantly guessed Justin Bieber was underneath that wig, mustache, and sunglasses.
There's also a good chance that many people simply thought the two incognito celebs were just being annoying with their sporadic actions, especially if the piped-in Justin Bieber song "What Do You Mean" was playing loudly over what would typically be a peaceful park visit. His music isn't necessarily the most stroll-worthy.
The whole thing is great, too, but it's the end of The Tonight Show bit really caps why the disguises are so perfect. It took all of a few seconds after Justin Bieber's official reveal before a crowd flocked toward the singer. Though it appeared many more park-goers were headed in their direction, Bieber and Jimmy Fallon decided to scoot on back to the studio before they got swarmed by all those admiring fans. Had Bieber's identity been discovered right at the start of filming, it's more than likely this whole bit would've been a wash due to tons of folks getting in the way to take selfies.
For anyone visiting New York City and currently kicking themselves for not being in Central Park recently to see Justin Bieber, worry no more, as this skit was filmed last month and well before the latest episode of The Tonight Show. News of the segment's creation first spread in mid-August, with several news outlets getting curious about what Justin Bieber and Jimmy Fallon were up to in Central Park. Amusingly, Fallon threw folks of the trail somewhat, running a promotion for a different episode of The Tonight Show that day, and doing what appeared to be an impression of WWE Hall Of Famer Ric Flair.
To be fair, we would also watch Jimmy Fallon's Ric Flair walking around New York in a fur coat and slapping people across the chest.
The bit's delayed airing was justified, with The Tonight Show actually making history as the first ever late-night show to tape in Central Park. Jimmy Fallon performed his nightly show in front of 1500 members of the live audience, and producers acquired the New York Philharmonic to accompany The Roots on stage throughout the show. The sometimes emotional Justin Bieber was not there to mark the momentous occasion -- perhaps he was out with his fiance -- but Blake Lively and Carrie Underwood served as suitable substitutes for the Biebs.
With more musical whismy to come, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon airs weeknights on NBC at 11:35 p.m. ET. Fall season is almost here, so be sure to visit our fall premiere guide to see what all is coming to television over the next couple of months.
