With two loveable TV personalities starring in this clip, it was destined to go viral.
I wasn’t able to catch the full episode, but I heard all about the contest the day after it aired and knew I had to see for myself. Jimmy Fallon and Ellen Degeneres battled each other in a gut-busting lip-syncing contest. Justin Timberlake, my childhood crush, judged the event. He seemed to be drinking something other than coffee out of his mug.
Fallon begins the battle with what he referred to as a crowd favorite, and lip-synced “Mr. Brightside,” by The Killers.
Degeneres followed up suitably with a song by Diana Ross called, “Do You Know Where You’re Going To?” She took a different angle by sitting down on the stage rather than standing with the mic like her competition.
Fallon’s second song choice was none other than Silento’s “Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae).” I thought for sure it was no contest at this point in the video, and Fallon had won the lip sync battle.
However, Degeneres gave an unexpected performance with Rhianna’s “Bitch Better Have My Money,” and won the battle.
I think they gave the win to Degeneres to be polite since she was a guest on Fallon’s show. Fallon had her beat with the dance moves and stage presence the second round, and her performance did not measure up to the bar he set.
Fallon was so enthusiastic in “Watch Me,” that he had to remove his blazer. He also said to hell with the microphone because it was going to get in the way of his dance moves.
Degeneres kept a relatively cool demeanor when the song could have easily used a lot more spicing up.
Timberlake clearly enjoyed Degeneres’s performance more, as he was dancing to it but remained seated for Fallon’s follow-up.
I adore both of them, but I thought for sure Fallon had it in the bag and was surprised when Timberlake voted for Degeneres.
I might be biased because Degeneres and Fallon are two of my all-time favorite celebrities, but this video was great. I anticipated every giggle. Both of them are comedic geniuses, and I think anyone who is having a bad day should watch this clip. The only thing I was disappointed about was the length. Fallon’s battles always leave me wishing there was more. What I wouldn’t give to spend a night with these two at a karaoke bar.