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Jimmy Fallon Calls Out Trump as Bob Dylan: ‘You Have the Power But We Have the Vote’

Broadcasting live from Minneapolis following the Super Bowl, the ‘Tonight Show’ host performed an updated version of Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are a-Changin’”—direct at Trump.

Jimmy Fallon, the incredibly talented comedian whose Tonight Show plummeted in the ratings after he played with candidate Trump’s hair on-air, has been taking a few more shots of late at our embattled, incompetent president.

Whether Fallon’s slightly more political approach is a calculated effort to improve the show’s lagging ratings, given how his rival Colbert’s used Trump to win the late-night war, is anyone’s guess. But on Sunday night, broadcasting live from Minneapolis following the Philadelphia Eagles’ stunning defeat over the favored New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII, Fallon unleashed his most pointed criticism of President Trump yet.

And he did it as Bob Dylan.

Dressed as Dylan—harmonica, curly wig and all—Fallon took the stage at the Orpheum Theatre and performed an updated version of the Minnesota native’s folk classic “The Times They Are a-Changin’.” The 2018 version, however, was mainly one long diatribe against President Trump, criticizing his seemingly racially motivated campaign against NFL protesters, his war on the press and the truth, and more.

Here are the final four verses of Fallon’s excellent, spot-on performance, which earned the comic a standing ovation both IRL and online:

“Come women and men who hashtag Me Too / and believe me when I say that we believe you / for weak is the man who calls truth fake news / Time’s Up, our silence we’re breaking / and even though Mel Gibson was in Daddy’s Home 2 / well the time’s, they are a-changin’.”

“Come athletes with platforms throughout the land / who by taking a knee are taking a stand / and before you shout out that they should be banned / listen to what they are sayin’ / perhaps they’d stand up if you reached out your hand / well the time’s, they are a-changin’.”

“Come journalists, writers who report the facts / and brandish your pen to fend off his attacks / look past what he says and look at how he acts / the fire and fury is raging / for his words can hurt but your words can fight back / New York Times, they aren’t a-failin’.” 

“Come leaders who bully like internet trolls / we’ll curse you with four-letter words, love and hope / for we will go high even when you go low / the order is rearranging, for you have the power but we have the vote / the times they are a-changin’.”

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Marlow Stern

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