BTS was just on the Tonight Show where Jimmy Fallon interviewed them on a NYC subway car and they ate at Katz deli and performed in an empty Grand Central. It was filmed in Grand Central while it was closed from 2am to 5:30am and filmed at Katz around February 6th while it was open to the public. Since I love talking about NYC subway secrets and tips, here are my 11 local things I’ve noticed that you probably missed during this unique episode of the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon! Watch below as I challenge Jimmy Fallon to have me on the show to share 101 real hidden gems in a NYC minute!
- The Tonight Show replaced some of the ads on the subway with BTS ads and instead of one subway map you will see two maps behind Jimmy. It is rare to see two in a row so this was likely to cover up a large ad.
- Jimmy asks BTS in the beginning for their first impressions of NYC and RM says hot dogs and coffee. Jimmy also later mentions in a thank you note NYC food carts are to thank for offering meatless hot dogs before it was popular.
- J-Hope says Home Alone is a classic NYC movie. Jin says he wants to be an actor like in Home Alone with that aftershave scene.
- In the subway olympics, it might seem silly to hold a duck on a moving subway but I think it’s a good analogy for trying to ride a crowded train without maybe being able to hold on.
- They go to Katz and grab a seat in the back near the red door and likely filmed around February 6. RM asked “Pastrami but no veggies?” and Jimmy replied “you kidding me, no.” They also recommend against using ketchup but say you can put mustard on your sandwich. I do recommend ordering a pastrami rueben if you want cheese on it.
- Subway stops included in the episode even briefly are a quick shot of the Astor Place subway, the famous 7 train shot, and they get on the Delancey St Bowery stop near Katz. Jimmy explained that the MTA did give them an empty phantom train.
- Grand Central was empty during closing hours for BTS’s performance!
- They have three audience members not just from Manhattan, but from all over including Washington Heights, Roosevelt Island with the trams and even Rev Run from Queens. I think there was a lot of potential when Fallon asked for a favorite hidden gem but then Jordan answered shop in SoHo? That is why, Jimmy I challenge you to have me on your show and I will share 101 real hidden gems of NYC in a NYC minute!
- I loved the subway stories. There were 3 of them that were so accurate proving New Yorkers don’t care if you’re famous and they don’t care about germs. Fran Lebowitz tells a story of a baby pacifier that fell on the floor of a subway car. The mom picked it up and wiped it off quickly and then put it back in the baby’s mouth. Fran says if she dropped the hope diamond, it would stay on the floor and that baby will likely live to be 1,000 years old! Tina Fey talks about when in 1997 after she started on TV she thought people would recognize her but no one cared then and they don’t care now. She explains while taking a 1 train uptown 59th street. Lin-Manuel Miranda shares his story while walking down an escalator that doesn’t appear to be moving. He talks about someone who says “you’re famous” and another person immediately afterwards saying “no you’re not” and both of them don’t stop walking to say this.
- I love the last shot of him leaving and waving from the subway likely going home. I also appreciated the editing and whoever masked the intro scene where the subway pillar masked out the two shots next to it, what an epic edit.
- The thank you notes were so on point I only wish there were more of them. For example, we learn what NYC health grades really stand for: A is for awesome, B is for better go somewhere else and C is for call an ambulance! The empire state building is really for King Kong to pole dance. For more Empire State Building secrets and the new exhibit prominently featuring King Kong check out my Empire State Building Secrets article.
But seriously Jimmy, I’d love to give you some real NYC subway secrets and 101 NYC hidden gems in a NYC minute, when can I come on the show?
