Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers pillory Howard Schultz's presidential run rollout, differently
Jimmy Fallon added a new impersonation to his impressive collection on Thursday's Tonight Show, cutting a 2020 presidential rollout video as former Starbucks chairman and CEO Howard Schultz. Yes, there are Starbucks jokes. "Over the past few months, I've traveled all across this great nation, speaking to everyday Americans and hearing what they had to say," Fallon's Schultz said. "Mostly they say things like, 'Please, for the love of God, don't run for president! Why on Earth would you do this?' But just like a true Starbucks barista, I didn't hear the words properly. To me, it sounded like: 'That's a great idea, you should really run for president.'"
Schultz vowed to "pay off our national debt using the $12 trillion I've collected selling Norah Jones CDs," and earnestly laid out a five-point plan, including such crowd-pleasers as "record a longer version of the 'Baby Shark' song." He did show some emotion at the end, though, in a manner any barista would recognize.
Seth Meyers was a little more direct in his critique of Schultz's run on Thursday's Late Night, though he, too, had some Starbucks jokes. Instead of laying out his "centrist independent" policies, "Schultz has been attacking Democrats," he said. "And so far, the rollout has been a disaster." That's partly because "there is virtually no appetite for a billionaire businessman to run for president right now," Meyers said. "I guess somebody really put a stink on that genre. Running like a billionaire now is like saying, 'We should do a music festival with Ja Rule on an island!'"
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"If Schultz doesn't like the current Democratic field, he could just run against them in a Democratic primary," he argued. "But he wants to bypass the process because he thinks he's entitled to it. That's right, the guy who ran Starbucks doesn't want to wait in line." Watch below. Peter Weber
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
4 ways to give back this holiday season
The Explainer If your budget is feeling squeezed, remember that money is not the only way you can be generous around the holidays
By Becca Stanek, The Week US Published
-
4 tips for hosting an ecofriendly Thanksgiving
The Week Recommends Coming together for the holidays typically produces a ton of waste, but with proper preparation, you can have an environmentally friendly gathering.
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
Jussie Smollet conviction overturned on appeal
Speed Read The Illinois Supreme Court overturned the actor's conviction on charges of staging a racist and homophobic attack against himself in 2019
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Jussie Smollet conviction overturned on appeal
Speed Read The Illinois Supreme Court overturned the actor's conviction on charges of staging a racist and homophobic attack against himself in 2019
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Quincy Jones, music icon, is dead at 91
Speed Read The legendary producer is perhaps best known as the architect behind Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
OJ Simpson, star athlete tried for murder, dead at 76
Speed Read The former football hero and murder suspect lost his battle with cancer
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Momofuku's 'Chili Crunch' trademark uproar
Speed Read The company's attempt to own the sole rights has prompted backlash
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Kevin Hart awarded Mark Twain Prize
Speed Read He is the 25th recipient of the prestigious comedy prize
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Is Downton Abbey set to return for a final film?
Speed Read Imelda Staunton reveals that a third movie may be in the pipeline
By Adrienne Wyper, The Week UK Published
-
'Oppenheimer' sweeps Oscars with 7 wins
speed read The film won best picture, best director (Christopher Nolan) and best actor (Cillian Murphy)
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'Rust' armorer convicted of manslaughter
speed read The film's cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was shot and killed by actor Alec Baldwin during rehearsal
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published