Comedian Jimmy Fallon stopped by the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn on Friday afternoon to hang out with Ford CEO Jim Farley and factory workers who make the all-electric F-150 Lightning pickup truck, Free Press learned.
The host of “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” spent nearly an hour touring the new plant with Farley, plant manager Corey Williams and Fallon Gates, an industrial communications specialist directing tours of the site.
“I’m not sure who enjoyed the visit more, the staff at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center or Jimmy Fallon,” said Fallon Gates, who had her hilarious moment introducing herself to the famous visitor. “Everyone was smiling. Jimmy said the tour really blew his mind.”
Jimmy Fallon has been stopping by a few times in Metro Detroit; Ford said this was just one.
Factory workers cheered for the actor who starred in “Saturday Night Live” as did Chris Farley, Jim Farley’s late cousin.
They flocked to take pictures with the TV host, and many of the CEO asked to take pictures with employees’ cellphones as quickly as they could make it happen.
Factory workers shouted, “We love you,” and Fallon shouted at right back.
The TV host, who spent time on his talk show discussing the infamous “frunk,” stopped at the site to meet the workers who installed the huge front box in the pickup.
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Fallon tweeted on May 21 a video of himself singing “Junk in my Frunk.”
On Friday, he showed UAW employees photos of an older F-150 and talked about trucks, vans and trucks.
Ford confirmed the information provided to the Free Press about the afternoon’s event.
The light-hearted encounter between Farley and Fallon comes a week after Ford released second-quarter adjusted earnings of $3.7 billion, which beat industry expectations. Lightning plays a key role in Ford’s strategy.
In the past, Fallon joked that his little Ford was bigger than the apartment he had when he started working on “SNL” in 1998.
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The CEO and talk show host checked out some of the products, including the Lightning, Bronco Raptor and Mustang Shelby GT500. And they led the way together.
Farley tweeted photos from the visit at 7:11pm on Friday and said, “Very happy to be hosting @JimmyFallon at @Ford. Fun day at the track and Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, MI surprising our teams with the build of the #F150Lightning. Thanks Jimmy!
Fallon tweeted in response to Farley 17 minutes later: “You are so smart, so fun. And most importantly – you treat your staff like family, and I was so happy to see it myself. Thank you for inviting me… I said yes, I was coming and commenting!!!!”
A crew from WDIV-TV (Channel Four), the NBC affiliate that broadcasts Fallon and “SNL,” was invited to stop by and interview Fallon and Farley at the track.
Jimmy Fallon may have a special place in his heart for Motor City.
He agreed to be a guest on the Spotify podcast “Drive” hosted by Farley this year which celebrated the role that cars play in our personal lives. Neither of them was paid to do the show.
Ford said Friday that Fallon wasn’t paid to stop, he just did.
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Contact Phoebe Wall Howard:313-618-1034orphoward@freepress.com.Follow her on TwitterTweet embed. read more stronghold And subscribe to our site Automotive Newsletter.
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