Jimmy Fallon Reveals His Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Injury and Why It Won’t Stop His Appearance This Year (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Jimmy Fallon at the 2023 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.Photo:GC Images

GC Images

Jimmy Fallonisn’t letting anything prevent him from participating inMacy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.After several years of riding on a float withThe Rootsduring the annual parade in New York City, the comedian, 50, says the appearances seem to have taken a toll on his body.Fallon tells PEOPLE that after noticing pain in his elbow over the past year, he took a trip to the doctor to see what was going on.“[The doctor]  said, ‘I think you have golfer’s elbow’ and I was like, ‘There’s no way.’ I don’t really golf that much — I golf four, five times a year or something — I go, but maybe I think I got it from waving,” Fallon says in an interview abouthis recent collaboration with Alex Mill and new albumHoliday Seasoning.“I think I got it from the waving on the float,” he says of participating in the three-hour parade route.“I think maybe the Queen [of England] has had this ailment,” he jokes, adding, “I’m one of the few people that have wavers elbow, but I’ve had it for a year and I still have it. It still hurts.“Jimmy Fallon at the 2022 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.Noam Galai/GettyThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallonhost assures it won’t get in the way of his role in this year’s celebration.“You can’t stop me from waving,” he says, adding: “When you see me waving this year, just know that I’m giving 110%.”“You don’t even have to wave back,” he continues. “I don’t care. It’s my job — in fact, I’d rather you not, I don’t want this to happen to anyone else.”Fallon made his first appearance at the parade in 2009 riding Gibson Guitars' float and has since returned eight times on various floats.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.After the parade ends, it’s all about family. Fallon says he and his wifeNancy Juvonenhost a big meal and theSaturday Night Livealum is on side dish duty.Jimmy Fallon with his wife Nancy Juvonen and their daughters Winnie and Frances.Jimmy Fallon Instagram“My grandmother always liked creamed onions,” he says of the dish he’s cooked in recent years, while admitting they’re not “necessarily good.”“We just go around and whoever will try one, whoever’s brave enough, and I just think of my grandma and go, ‘Hey, we’re thinking of you,’” he adds.To help kick off the holiday season this year, Fallon and his family appeared in the new campaign for his P’Jimmies collaboration with Alex Mill. The adorable photos include Fallon, Juvonen, 57, and their daughtersWinnie, 11, and Frances, 9, posing in the colorful pajamas he helped create.“This whole collection is kind of the coolest, coziest thing you’ve ever seen,” Fallons says of the collection,available now.The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will air on NBC and stream on Peacock.

Jimmy Fallonisn’t letting anything prevent him from participating inMacy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

After several years of riding on a float withThe Rootsduring the annual parade in New York City, the comedian, 50, says the appearances seem to have taken a toll on his body.

Fallon tells PEOPLE that after noticing pain in his elbow over the past year, he took a trip to the doctor to see what was going on.

“[The doctor]  said, ‘I think you have golfer’s elbow’ and I was like, ‘There’s no way.’ I don’t really golf that much — I golf four, five times a year or something — I go, but maybe I think I got it from waving,” Fallon says in an interview abouthis recent collaboration with Alex Mill and new albumHoliday Seasoning.

“I think I got it from the waving on the float,” he says of participating in the three-hour parade route.

“I think maybe the Queen [of England] has had this ailment,” he jokes, adding, “I’m one of the few people that have wavers elbow, but I’ve had it for a year and I still have it. It still hurts.”

Jimmy Fallon at the 2022 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.Noam Galai/Getty

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallonhost assures it won’t get in the way of his role in this year’s celebration.

“You can’t stop me from waving,” he says, adding: “When you see me waving this year, just know that I’m giving 110%.”

“You don’t even have to wave back,” he continues. “I don’t care. It’s my job — in fact, I’d rather you not, I don’t want this to happen to anyone else.”

Fallon made his first appearance at the parade in 2009 riding Gibson Guitars' float and has since returned eight times on various floats.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

After the parade ends, it’s all about family. Fallon says he and his wifeNancy Juvonenhost a big meal and theSaturday Night Livealum is on side dish duty.

Jimmy Fallon with his wife Nancy Juvonen and their daughters Winnie and Frances.Jimmy Fallon Instagram

Jimmy Fallon Instagram

“My grandmother always liked creamed onions,” he says of the dish he’s cooked in recent years, while admitting they’re not “necessarily good.”

“We just go around and whoever will try one, whoever’s brave enough, and I just think of my grandma and go, ‘Hey, we’re thinking of you,’” he adds.

To help kick off the holiday season this year, Fallon and his family appeared in the new campaign for his P’Jimmies collaboration with Alex Mill. The adorable photos include Fallon, Juvonen, 57, and their daughtersWinnie, 11, and Frances, 9, posing in the colorful pajamas he helped create.

“This whole collection is kind of the coolest, coziest thing you’ve ever seen,” Fallons says of the collection,available now.

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will air on NBC and stream on Peacock.

source: people.com