Jimmy Fallon Apologizes to Michele Bachmann for 'Late Night' Walk On Music
'Late Night With Jimmy Fallon' house band The Roots sparked controversy Monday night when, as guest Michele Bachmann was introduced, they played a snippet of a 1985 Fishbone song called 'Lyin' Ass B*tch.'On Tuesday Bachmann's Democratic colleague, Congresswoman Nita Lowey (New York), protested the choice of song and issued a statement calling on NBC to apologize.
After Monday night's show Jimmy Fallon joked that bandleader Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson had been reprimanded, tweeting "@questlove is grounded." However, Tuesday night he went further and apologized: "I'm honored that @michelebachmann was on our show yesterday and I'm so sorry about the intro mess. I really hope she comes back."
Congresswoman Lowey's statement read: "The choice of song to introduce Michele Bachmann on 'Late Night With Jimmy Fallon' last night was insulting and inappropriate. I do not share Michele Bachmann's politics, but she deserves to be treated with respect. No female politician -- and no woman -- should be subjected to sexist and offensive innuendo like she was last night. The Roots, Jimmy Fallon, and NBC should apologize."
The Roots are famous for their snarky choices of walk-on music, and their offerings over the years have included Meat Loaf's 'Two Outta Three Ain't Bad' for the Kardashians, Beck's 'Loser' for Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag, The Cookie Monster's 'C is for Cookie' for Gabourey Sidibe, and Milli Vanilli's 'Girl, You Know it's True' for Ashlee Simpson.
Before the show aired, Questlove tweeted a hint about that night's choice of walk-on music: "aight late night walkon song devotees: you love it when we snark: this next one takes the cake. ask around cause i aint tweeting title." Yesterday he said in a statement, "The performance was a tongue-in-cheek and spur of the moment decision. The show was not aware of it and I feel bad if her feelings were hurt. That was not my intention."
After the introduction Bachmann -- who has not yet commented publicly on the matter -- and Fallon went on to have an awkward interview during which they tried to play a game of 'One Word.'
UPDATE: Bachmann spoke about the incident on Fox News' 'America's Newsroom' this morning. She accepted Fallon's apology, but is demanding one from NBC, as well.
"I'm hoping to be able to speak to Jimmy Fallon today, I don't have anything against Jimmy Fallon, I love him, he's a kick ... But I think the point is that if Michelle Obama had come out on the stage, and if that song had been played for Michelle Obama, I have no doubt that NBC would have apologized to her, and like they could have fired the drummer, or at least suspended him. None of that happened from NBC, and this is clearly a form of bias from the Hollywood Entertainment elite, but I think it's also a form of sexism as well. This wouldn't be tolerated if it was Michelle Obama, and it shouldn't be tolerated if it's a conservative women either ... This is an outrage that happened."
Follow Catherine on Twitter: @TVClaw.
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